City Enforces Stricter Regulations On Heavy Trucks

Ten to 22 wheeled trucks are not allowed to be driven in Vientiane if their drivers cannot provide documents indicating their destination to the Vientiane Public Works and Transport Department.

If truck drivers are not carrying the right documents to indicate where they are delivering construction materials or if they are not carrying a permit, they will be fined if Vientiane police find them travelling on the capital’s 13 main roads.

This regulation is being enforced to reduce traffic congestion and to keep the streets of Vientiane clean.

Deputy Director of the Vientiane Traffic Police Department Major Youttaphong Saouvannasing told Vientiane Times on Wednesday, “We will allow small six-wheeled trucks on the 13 main roads.”

Entrepreneurs who need to transport construction equipment such as cement, sand or gravel must now use smaller vehicles to deliver to sites within the city.

Vientiane now appears to be cleaner after authorities tightened the regulations on heavy trucks accessing the roads last month.

The main roads include: Souphanouvong, Setthathirath, Chao Fangum, Lane Xang, Nongbone, 23 August, Dongpalan, Lao-Thai Friendship, Phontong-Dongdok, Houayhong-Dongpalaep, Kaysone Phomvihane, Asean and Sithong.

Sand and gravel sometimes spills from the trucks onto the pavement and roads, with builders being responsible for removing or cleaning it up. However, many simply ignore this. Vehicles used to transport sand and stones from building sites are usually very dirty themselves and add to the pollution.

Simply spraying the trucks with water, especially the tyres, will eliminate much of the problem.

If a truck is not clean and it travels on the city’s roads, the police should also fine the vehicle owner.

According to the Vientiane Urban Development and Administration Authority, some street sweeping trucks were not broken and unusable as had been suggested but were in fact sitting at the depot as there was not enough money to fill them up with fuel.

It will take a lot of money to push forward the work to clean up Vientiane, including paying the workers’ salaries.

To solve this problem it has been suggested that Vientiane authorities encourage all local residents to clean the roadsides and pavements outside their homes every day.

Source: Vientiane Times