The survey is pointless

‘A Road-using Ratepayer’ writes:-

ABOUT a month ago there was a mention in the Vryheid Herald about the municipality doing some sort of survey around the presence of big trucks in the CBD (Central Business District). If there was any point to this survey, and it was mentioned in the article, I cannot remember what it was.

In fact the survey is pointless. We KNOW big trucks are coming into town, and we KNOW they are ruining our roads.

It would seem to me that the survey was simply another delaying tactic, delaying the moment when the traffic department actually gets off its complacent collective backside, and enforces the law. It is that simple.

Every single day, timber and coal trucks trundle up and down Church Street and East Street. Sometimes you see them in Church Street between East and President, but most often they use Utrecht Street and sometimes Mark Street. As a traffic officer you’d have to be blind, stupid or very, very lazy (possibly asleep?) not to notice them on any day of the week.

Why is it such an effort to pull them over and fine them. If there was a blitz on these trucks for a period of a month, I guarantee that the word would get back to the fleet owners, and the fleet owners would tell their drivers, “Do not go into Vryheid!”

So, while the municipality delays taking action yet again, have a look at the condition of the road surfaces at the intersection of Church and President streets, and at the intersection of President and Utrecht streets.

In August and September 2011, less than four years ago, the Church/President intersection was totally rehabilitated as a huge cost to the residents of AbaQulusi. Hundreds of thousands of rands were spent fixing the road surfaces.

Look at them today, especially at the point where trucks turn north into President Street from Church Street. The road is already rippling. The brick surface is being thrust up by the sideways pressure exerted by the big trucks’ turning tyres. Already, that part of the road needs to be levelled and relaid to halt further deterioration.

And who’s going to pay?

Us, that’s who, and meanwhile the traffic cops continue to be paid for doing… what? And the senior officials will get full performance bonuses for… what?

To the municipality: DO YOUR FLIPPEN JOBS!!