DESPITE Gweru City Council having paid a contractor US$360 000 to install traffic lights in the city centre, nothing has been done with motorists expressing concern over an increase in accidents at robot-controlled intersections.
There is also a worrying trend of learner drivers getting licences without having been tested on how to negotiate through a traffic light-controlled intersection in Gweru.
There are 16 traffic light controlled intersections in the city centre, but only one of them, at the intersection of First Street and Lobengula Avenue, is working.
Traffic signals are designed to ensure an orderly flow of traffic, provide an opportunity for pedestrians or vehicles to cross an intersection and help reduce the number of conflicts between vehicles entering intersections from different directions.
The City of Gweru paid Emobuild Construction US$360 000 as part payment of US$500 000 for the installation solar-powered traffic lights at the city’s major intersections.
Gweru Mayor Councillor Hamutendi Kombayi said the contractor must be engaged as a matter of urgency to address the issue.
“Council paid the contractor over US$300 000 for the traffic lights, which worked for a short space of time and that is 10 years ago. We are doing a disservice to our residents and motorists who pass through Gweru, but not addressing the issue,” he said.
“Traffic lights are an integral part of the city centre as they ensure that there is an orderly flow of traffic hence we need them in Gweru as a matter of urgency. The issue of the traffic lights has been hanging for the past 10 years after the contractor who was given the tender to install the lights stands did a shoddy job because the lights became dysfunctional soon after installation.”
Ward 11 Councillor Albert Chirau said the local authority should consider re-tendering the job after getting a raw deal.
“It’s been 10 years since we last had working traffic lights in the city centre and this is worrying,” he said.
Zimbabwe Chamber for Small-to-Medium Enterprises Gweru chapter chairperson Mr Tafadzwa Mazorodze said the absence of traffic lights is an issue of concern when it comes to VID road tests.
“Everyday we have learner drivers getting driver’s licences. What boggles my mind is that how do they negotiate through traffic controlled intersections when those robots are not working,” he said.
“A number of reported accidents occurring in the city centre have being attributed to the malfunctioning traffic lights.”
Acting town clerk Mr Vakayi Douglas Chikwekwe said the local authority has since taken Emobuild Construction to court for the shoddy job after 80 percent of the installed traffic lights developed faults with the contractor refusing to shoulder the blame.
The local authority wants Emobuild Construction to meet the costs of damages claimed from council by motorists who were involved in accidents at the traffic lights controlled intersections.
“The contract or agreement between the contractor and council was signed some 10 years ago and the contractor was paid US$360 000 out of US$500 000 after installing the traffic lights, but they stopped working a few months later,” said Mr Chikwekwe.
He said on being approached, the contractor demanded to be paid the balance which the council refused citing the shoddy job.
“So the matter had been dragging since then and it is now under an arbitrator. Since there is a signed agreement, our hands are tied and we can’t do anything but wait for the arbitrator to complete the matter,” said Mr Chikwekwe.
A driving instructor who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they are producing half-baked drivers because they are not getting the practical lessons on how to drive through a traffic light-controlled intersection. – The Chronicle
