Urgence d’y intégrer les nouvelles dispositions

Urgency to integrate the new provisions

Revision of the Highway Code

The Minister of the Interior, Local Authorities and Transport, Saïd Sayoud, called, on Sunday, in Algiers, to integrate the directives of the President of the Republic, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, concerning the draft Highway Code, modified. In particular, indicated a press release from the ministry, those relating to the scale of sanctions, the training system in driving schools, the strengthening of control over overloads of heavy goods vehicles, as well as the medical assessment of drivers and tests screening for narcotics and psychotropic substances.
“These measures, introduced by the President of the Republic in the draft highway code, aim to strengthen prevention and safety on the roads and to guarantee safety conditions,” he said.
Chairing a meeting with sector executives at the ministry’s headquarters, devoted to monitoring the progress of ministerial action, Saïd Sayoud, continued the same source, insisted on the strengthening of control mechanisms linked to the overloading of heavy goods vehicles, the medical examination of drivers, the monitoring of the consumption of drugs and psychotropic substances, as well as the procedures for electronic recovery of fines resulting from road offenses, in addition to the definition of machines and vehicles prohibited from traffic on highways.
Referring to land passenger transport, the minister indicated that the development of this sector represents one of the main axes which require rigorous monitoring, due to its impact on the daily life of citizens.
Saïd Sayoud, the same source indicated, gave instructions to correct the dysfunctions observed on certain lines, notably those serving the outskirts of Algiers and the new urban centers across the country, and called for strengthening the coverage of the network by public urban and suburban transport companies. But also to develop rail transport to meet growing demand.
He insisted on the need to intensify controls in order to guarantee compliance with schedules, reception conditions and hygiene standards.
Demanding, in passing, rigorous monitoring of the operation of importing new buses intended for the renewal of the national fleet, in accordance with the established schedule.
With regard to ports and port services, the minister highlighted the importance of advancing projects to modernize these infrastructures and the adoption of modern loading and unloading mechanisms at the level of pilot ports, in anticipation of their generalization, and gave guidelines to accelerate the modernization of ports and port services, using modern loading and unloading technologies. Not without proposing to make pilot ports models to be generalized, while calling for the conclusion of partnerships with international operators and the valorization of advanced expertise, in order to reach professional levels.
Highlighting the importance of joint work with the Ministries of the Environment, Energy and Scientific Research, with a view to integrating sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions into port infrastructure, Saïd Sayoud insisted, with regard to the Algiers airport modernization project, on the need to finalize the contractual procedures in order to move quickly to the implementation phase.
Finally, the minister took note of a preliminary report of the results of the unannounced inspection commissions which visited several wilayas of the country, relating to the conditions of school transport, public hygiene and the prevention of risks linked to bad weather. In light of which, Saïd Sayoud gave additional instructions and announced the holding of a subsequent meeting for the detailed examination of the final reports.
Rabah Mokhtari