Shania Shayal Prasad 
[Photo: FILE]
Growing vehicle numbers and limited road space are prompting authorities to fast-track reassessing of vehicle importation policies and road safety measures, as concerns mount over congestion and fatalities.
Land Transport Authority Chief Executive Irimaia Rokosawa has urged stakeholders involved in vehicle importation to be mindful that Fiji is a small island nation with finite road space.
He adds vehicle registrations have increased by around 10 percent over the past two years, rising from approximately 159,000 to 162,000 vehicles.
“We are running out of space and you can see the number of fatalities is increasing. Fatalities is on the rise because also vehicle registrations is also on the rise.”
Rokosawa states that while fatalities per 10,000 registered vehicles have declined, however the overall loss of 75 lives remains unacceptable.
Minister for Transport Ro Filipe Tuisawau echoed these concerns, pointing to the imbalance between the number of vehicles and the country’s road network.
“Just look at the number of vehicles, maybe there needs to be a relook at our policy on the number of vehicles, which optimum number of vehicles which we as a country can accommodate safely or conveniently so that there is ease of travel, there is not much congestion.”
Ro Filipe stresses the urgency of fast-tracking the revamp of the Road Safety Council as part of broader efforts to improve travel safety and efficiency nationwide.
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