By Lamin Njie
The Ministry of Transport, Works and Infrastructure, together with stakeholders such as Afrique Pesage, Department of Lands and Survey, Department of Physical Planning and Housing and the General Transport Union, recently conducted a two-day joint survey across the country.
The main objective of the survey was to identify and mark sites for the permanent and mobile weighing sites to be provided by the Government through the Ministry of Transport, Works and Infrastructure.
Meanwhile, the weigh bridges on Bund Road and Farafenni have started operations. Other possible places to have weigh bridges would be Barra, Amdallai, Lamin–Koto, Basse, Brikama-Ba, Soma and Mandinaba.
In general, road infrastructures are designed for a finite time determined by forecast of heavyweight traffic and the intensity of the traffic loads.
Overloads have a devastating effect on the life of pavements; thus, this explains, the need to rehabilitate the roads more frequently than expected in the absence of enforcement pertaining to heavyweight.
Weighbridges are crucial as they enhance efficiency. They are used to measure the weight of an incoming or outgoing vehicle (loaded or otherwise) to provide stocking data.
They also guarantee assurance to drivers that the vehicles they are driving are fit to use to ensure safety of the driver and other road users and more importantly, prevent overloading of trucks.