WOES THAT PROWL OUR ROADS     

Janaka Perera weighs in on the imperatives for improving road transport

Sri Lanka’s road transport problems have become increasingly complex over the decades following independence. The most serious issue is the number of fatalities and injuries resulting from accidents.

On average, some 38,000 accidents occur in the country annually, causing about 3,000 deaths and around 8,000 serious injuries. It’s estimated that annual road accidents per capita in the island are the highest in our immediate South Asian neighbourhood.

These deaths and injuries have no doubt undermined economic growth, as well as progress on reducing poverty and garnering prosperity. Most accident victims are productive working age adults and their deaths leave families without breadwinners.

Rapid growth in vehicle ownership, and the diversity of motorised and non-motorised traffic of varying sizes and speeds, has exacerbated the situation. Nearly 90 percent of victims are pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists.

Undisciplined and drunk drivers, road rage and poorly maintained highways are among the prime causes of these tragedies.

Senior Lecturer in the Transport and Logistics Department at the University of Moratuwa Prof. Amal Kumarage stresses that road safety should be a matter of national concern. He says that the stipulation of standards of road design, quality of imported vehicles and enforcement of traffic rules need to be a national priority.

A common question voiced by Kumarage is why Sri Lanka can’t improve its passenger transport when countries around us are improving their railway, bus and road systems.

Over 50 years ago, Sri Lanka had one of the best transport systems in Asia and its economy was second only to that of Japan, proving that the quality of transport systems and economic vitality are inextricably linked.

Unfortunately, the economy slid to the bottom half of Asian economies – and along with it went our transport system. Without improving the transport sector, no nation can claim to have fixed its economy. This issue is vital to the country’s health, wellbeing, human capital and economic growth.

The end of the civil conflict in 2009 saw a virtual explosion of vehicle ownership. Congestion increased and spread to many urban centres including Kandy and Kurunegala, and the suburbs of Colombo. Public transport is still not a priority; it’s underdeveloped and unable to provide a viable alternative to private transport.

Most buses, both state run and privately owned, aren’t made for commuter comfort. The old, feeble and sick find it almost impossible to board and exit these buses since the bodies of the vehicles are built on lorry chasses. Travellers are compelled to hang precariously on footboards at rush hour and facilities for passengers in wheelchairs is a distant dream.

Over the years, authorities have created the perception that public transport is the poor person’s means of travel. Consequently, middle income groups have resorted to using private vehicles and this has increased urban traffic congestion.

Our roads are congested with a variety of expensive high fuel consumption vehicles that aren’t common in even some developed countries.

Diverse forms of intermediate transport such as office and school vans, and three wheelers, also grew rapidly to fill the vacuum created by the deteriorating public transport system.

The three-wheeler fleet in particular reportedly grew to an estimated million vehicles. Though it provides a source of employment to our youth, it’s also a problem because it is diverting them away from developing other productive skills.

Campaigns over the last two decades or so by some transport professionals to improve public transport have been met with political indifference as funds were spent on developing expressways instead.

The lack of an integrated policy has encouraged autonomous development of various forms of transportation, and resulted in a fragmented transport sector with dispersed services.

Pedestrian walking paths need to be developed on all existing roads and there must be separate transport lanes for bicycles and tricycles. And a range of people including schoolchildren, employees and others must be encouraged to use these alternative routes.

Another way to reduce energy consumption and traffic is to develop group transportation coach facilities for office workers and schoolchildren.

Wherever possible, it is necessary to encourage online meetings. People often travel long distances to attend meetings, and this is especially noticeable in the public sector. Research on case studies to develop virtual and hybrid office conferences is a dire need.

In this manner, public expenditure can be saved. Singapore is a clear example of how to discourage the unnecessary use of personal vehicles.

Multidisciplinary professional Dr. Malraj Kiriella promotes the creation of a culture of ‘only travelling when absolutely essential’ until the country’s economy has been stabilised.