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The Minister of Transport and Aviation, Honorable Rtd Col. Ambassador Alhaji Fanday Turay has called on Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), Freetown City Council, Transport Stakeholders and the general public to be part of the transformative urban transport reform process.
He made this statement during a breakfast meeting held at the Country Lodge Hotel with colleague Ministers, Members of Parliament, Security Sector, Freetown City Council and Transport Stakeholders.
In his statement, he disclosed that the purpose of the meeting was to update them about the Sierra Leone Integrated and Resilient Urban Mobility Project (SLIRUMP); and the reforms in general but specifically the traffic management measures the SLIRUMP will introduce.
He maintained that the SLIRUMP is a government of Sierra Leone project funded by the World Bank that started in June 2019 and is expected to close in June 2024, he added that, the project has four development objectives which include improving access to quality public transport systems, enhance climate resilience, improve road safety and build institutional capacity in the public transport sector.
Highlighting some of the critical reforms that the project is meant to bring within the urban mobility sector, he said key among them are the formulation of a transport regulation authority, formation of a formal bus operating company, introduction of a cashless payment systems, predicted bus services, construction of a transit transport terminal, introduction of pedestrian footbridges, the construction of an ultramodern market, the development of a traffic management plan , introduction of bus stops, installation of street lights and traffic signals at selected intersections.
He emphasized that the current status of the reforms process includes, the establishment and operationalization of the Sierra Leone Public Transport Authority (SLPTA) by an Act of Parliament , a bus operating company fully incorporated and registered and capacity building carried out both locally and internationally , 3 out of the 4 footbridges erected, installation of traffic signals and road improvements at 7 critical intersections to be completed in the next 4 weeks, 50 buses procured and on the high seas are expected in the country at the end of November, he added that the project through the Ministry of Transport and Aviation has laid out a clear plan for traffic management emanating from a strategy for implementing Public Transport Policies.
He expressed his gratitude and appreciation to all stakeholders involved emphasizing that the strategy and policies developed by the project are products of the cumulative efforts of all stakeholders present.
SOURCE: INFORMATION UNIT
MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT AND AVIATION
