Transportation
over the years have gone through tremendous makeover and transition
As
road transport basically started with the development of tracks by humans and
their beast of burden for them and construction was as simple as the clearing
of bushy areas to create pathways to the farms or leading villages and towns. As
commerce increased, the tracks and paths were often flattened or widened to
accommodate human and animal traffic. Some of these dirt tracks were developed
into fairly extensive networks allowing communicators, trade and governance
over wide areas. The need for better road network became imperative when the
desire to expand took precedence. As cities developed and became richer, new
roads and bridges began to be built.
Various systems had been developed over
centuries to reduce w , bogging and dust in cities. Dusty roads were tarred to
ensure the smooth transit of both humans and goods from one point to the other.
The
bane of this evolution was to come shortly when the convenience associated with
road transport got the better side of people, and it became an obsession of a
sort to own a vehicle and get to their various destinations on time. However
the time element does not favor them anymore with the prevalence of private cars,
commercial vehicles, motors and other modes of transport.
The road network
system also seems to be at an abrupt standstill as it hadn’t been expanded to
accommodate the growing number of vehicles and vehicular traffic associated
with the buzz. This is what you hear as a result of the congestion faced by
road users in recent times.
¨Piiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii…………..
[car horn]. “kw3 bodien3ts33 mini, obaa) w) y3 lori gb3mi lo?Yaa ni m)ko
aba…….”.literally telling a driver to maneuver his way out to enable other make
their way”. This is one of the numerous banter you hear in commercial vehicle
when the days’ heat becomes unbearable, sitting postures in vehicles turns
uncomfortable, drivers go impatient and vehicular traffic irritably frustrating.
The existence of traffic lights which is meant to control the flow of vehicles
in other to ensure discipline, sanctity and order on our roads suddenly becomes
an albatross hanging loosely over our necks, even in the face of functional
traffic lights. Imagine a sight it will be when there are no or dysfunctional
traffic lights and congestion. This is what a 1957 independence gained country
faces now. Is the government to blame or individual citizens? Or perhaps should the lack of foresight of leaving
insufficient land for possible expansion by decision making bodies be blamed?
The
Drivers and Licensing Authority {DVLA} registers cars every day, huge tax are imposed on imported cars every day,
citizens are offered drivers licensed every day, but the road sees no expansion,
numerous cars go unregistered, there are
consistent violation of road regulations and the traffic wardens look on
helplessly sometimes when they cannot bear the brunt of indiscipline any longer.
Again should citizens be restricted on the number of cars to acquire, or
encourage the use of public means of transport to curb or encourage the use of public means of
transport to curb or encourage the use
of public means of transport to curb the anomaly.
As a result of this, one is unable
to estimate traveling time, hence delay in even emergency vehicles creating
more losses. To others traffic jam is all they need to make a living, a means
of relaxation and a beauty to behold says a photographer. With the unbearable
traffic situation in Accra, one would wonder if the train system is still in
existence………………
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