Roads Agency prepared for the upsurge in holiday traffic

According to TRAC spokesman, Solange Soares Nicholson, this festive season is expected to be extremely busy on the N4 toll route.

With Trans African Concessions (TRAC) anticipating thousands of motorists who will travel between Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Mozambique in December 2019 and January 2020. To accommodate the surge in traffic, TRAC has conducted intense preparations, which it believes will assist to prevent heavy backlogs.

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These include ensuring toll plazas are fully manned on peak traffic days; conducting double route patrols on earmarked days; and having its route patrol, roadside assistance and 24-hour helpdesk teams on high alert throughout the festive period.

“Traffic on the N4 toll route is expected to peak on December 13, 14, 20, 21 and 22 and January 4 and 5. On these days, all of its response units – in collaboration with emergency services such as the SAPS, paramedics, fire and rescue and provincial traffic – will be deployed to strategic points along the route – Bronkhorstspruit, Middelburg, Milly’s, Mbombela, Hectorspruit, Komatipoort and Matola Weighbridge (Mozambique) – to enhance incident/accident support,” she said.

“Extremely heavy traffic is expected en route to the Lebombo Border Post in Komatipoort. TRAC has, over the past few months, issued warnings about the heavy truck delays at the border and again warns members of the public of the current status quo. Road users are urged to note that although delays at the border impact traffic flow on the N4, border-clearing processes do not fall under TRAC’s jurisdiction or responsibility and it cannot be held liable for, or assist with, backlogs relating to this.”

“However, TRAC will work closely with the Lebombo border control operational coordinating committee and Ressano Garcia Border officials to assist with traffic management measures to improve traffic flow. This includes the provision of several logistical items and road user information.”

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Although the Lebombo and Ressano Garcia Border posts will be operational 24 hours, from December 13 to January 13, road users are advised that traffic management operations will be implemented from today.

These include South Africa (eastbound)

• A traffic control point at Coopersdal, where all vehicles are to come to a dead stop. Be patient and expect an approximate 30-minute delay.
• Taxis will be diverted to the old Komatipoort Airfield, which has been prepped by TRAC to accommodate over 1 000 vehicles at a time. Clearing will be done at this facility and taxis will then be escorted to the border.
• Commercial vehicles (trucks) will be redirected onto the Coopersdal Road (R582) and Strydomsblok, to be processed at KM 7. These vehicles will return via the same route and queue at Mananga Road while awaiting border crossing.
• Buses will also be cleared at KM 7.

• Private vehicles must proceed straight on the N4 to the Lebombo Border Post. These road users are urged to stay in the right lane after passing the BP garage, as the left lane will be reserved for trucks, convoys and official vehicles.
• To avoid unnecessary traffic on the route, vehicles en route to Komatipoort, Kruger National Park or Ngwenya Lodge are advised to use the Tenbosch turn-off.

Mozambique (westbound)
• There will be three lanes of traffic in the westbound lane and one lane in the opposite direction.
• There will be six stop areas, one next to Moamba, for observation purposes only, one compulsory stop at KM 10 and KM 14 and another one next to the cemetery in
Ressano Garcia.

• On the remaining three locations the traffic will be split as follows:
– Main dispatching of travellers at KM 4
and KM 7.
– Organising of police escort at KM 4.
• Each control point will be manned by the police, customs and immigration officials.
• Public transport terminal will be transferred to the Ressano Garcia Border Post.

“TRAC is also pleased to announce that construction on the N4 toll route will be on hold during the construction sector’s annual leave period, from December 13, 2019 to January 6, 2020. However, all construction areas will still be deemed active and road users are urged to be cautious and obey road signage.The safety and well-being of the N4 toll route’s road users is TRAC’s primary concern and it urges everyone using its beautiful route this holiday season to make full use of this initiative by calling the TRAC helpdesk on 0800-872-264 for quick, effective assistance for any problem.”

TRAC further encourages road users to stay abreast of news about the route, throughout the festive season, by following it on Twitter @TRACN4route or visiting its website at www.tracn4.co.za.

“Road safety is our concern, celebrating life is our priority,” Soares Nicholson concluded.