Board Appointed for Island Traffic Authority

Minister of Transport and Mining, Hon. Robert Montague, says that a Board has been appointed for the Island Traffic Authority (ITA).

“It includes retired examiner, Garnet Hosang; transport operator, Henrietta James; and representatives from the police force and insurance agencies, among others,” the Minister said, during his contribution in the 2019/20 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, June 4.

He noted that a Chief Executive Officer for the entity will be recruited in short order.

Minister Montague said that the ITA will work with the police to ensure that trucks are fitted with crash bars at the back and right side, in keeping with the provisions of the Road Traffic Act. The crash bars are to prevent small vehicles from sliding underneath the trucks during an accident.

“Additionally, come September 1, 2019, we will be encouraging motorists to drive with their lights on during the days. This has proven to reduce traffic crashes by 12 to 20 per cent in other jurisdictions. We will run this voluntary pilot for a year, but make an assessment after six months,” Mr. Montague said.

He told the House that electronic traffic enforcement is coming.

“Running red lights, speeding, no seat belts, improper lane usage and accidents will be caught on traffic cameras. In addition, licence plate reading tied to our database will see tickets issued electronically, and if not paid, cars will not be able to renew registration,” Mr. Montague said.

“We are leveraging technology to assist in road safety,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Transport and Mining Minister said discussions are to begin shortly with the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA), “so that we will be able to hold on to offenders at the airports”.