New buses in place to reduce traffic accidents

New buses in place to reduce traffic accidents

Published on Tuesday, 04 December 2012 17:45

An old bus is running inside Yangon. (Photo-EMG)

Yangon Regional Road and Transportation Minister Aung Khin said during the Emergency Regional Parliament Session on November 30 that more new city buses will replace the old ones to prevent traffic accidents.

The minister announced this in response to the previous request raised by the Member of Parliament Khin Maung Htoo about replacing the old buses, especially those in use since the World War II.

According to Khin Maung Htoo, the number of traffic accidents in Yangon hit a record high in 2011, and 318 accidents involve the city's public buses, killing a total of 60 and injuring 823 people.

About 59 percent of the accidents were caused by the old buses, such as Dyna, Hilux, BM and Buses dating back to WWII.

Five of the regional parliamentarians approved the appeal and the regional transportation minister responded as saying "Following the rules of Vehicle Importation Committee, the regional government is supervising the replacements of public buses with more modernised buses and ensures they will be able to be run by CNG (compressed natural gas)."

Minister Aung Khin also said that although the government has allowed import of new buses, there are many factors hindering the process:  the move of renewing the buses may be diverted to another option for the import of taxies, highway buses or ferries. The reality is that 2007 or newer model buses are too expensive to afford.

It is said that the regional government has approved import of 1,000 new city buses to 13 private companies in cooperation with the Ministry of Commerce.

Source: http://www.news.myanmaronlinecentre.com/2012/12/05/new-buses-in-place-to-reduce-traffic-accidents/