The wreckage of vehicles packed at Athi River Police Station's in Machakos County after engaging in road accidents recently. (Photo/Maugo Owiti/hivisasa.com)-
National Transport Safety Authority (NTSA) has been criticized for banning PSV vehicles from operating at night.
Tens of residents from Machakos County interviewed by this reporter said the bun should be lifted for other measures to be taken in a bid of reducing road carnages.
They claimed the ban will interfere with Kenyans travel arrangements especially those returning to Nairobi and Mombasa after the long festive holiday.
“NTSA has caused lots of inconveniences to our relatives traveling as far is from Busia to Nairobi and Mombasa Counties, the ban needs to be revisited as quickly as possible,” said Josiah Onyango.
Onyango said the Nairobi – Kisumu highway should be expanded and proper signage did on it.
He said there will be delays in transport if the regulatory body does not revisit its stand on the ban.
Another resident Nelly Asami said the ban will affect children returning to various towns in order to report to school as the schools are-open.
Asami said the vehicles should be allowed to operate at night but drivers should not drive day and night.
She said NTSA should order the drivers to only either drive at daytime or night but not both to avoid accidents resulting from human error.
“Some of these drivers do not rest, they drive day and night hence cause accidents due to fatigue,” said Asami.
They spoke to the writer separately in Mavoko and Machakos Sub Counties on Monday.
NTSA on Sunday banned night travel for Public Service Vehicles till further notice after the latest accident in Salgaa claimed 36 lives.
Director General Francis Mejja said all traveling will be between 6 am and 7 pm."Over the recent past, our records indicate that majority of crashes are occurring during the night and in order to review the effectiveness of the current measures in place to improve road safety, the authority in consultation with other relevant government agencies suspends night travels for all distance public service vehicles from December 31st,” a joint statement with the police traffic department read.The Salgaa accident involved a truck and bus. It happened at Migaa area around 3.30am.
The bus was traveling towards Nakuru and investigations indicate that the driver left his lane and collided with the oncoming trailer.
"The trailer, KBK 907C and bus KCC 003A belonging to Nairobi Bus Corporation crashed between Sanchangwan and Salgaa centres," NTSA said.
Several other people are receiving treatment in Molo and Nakuru hospitals.
More than 100 people have perished in the area this month alone.
The 14 kilometer stretch on the Nakuru-Eldoret highway has become synonymous with gruesome accidents that have claimed hundreds of lives over the years.