Overweight trucks to be clamped – Edghill

Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill, has announced that strict enforcement of the 15-tonne per axle weight limit on Guyana’s roadways will commence shortly, with trucks found to be exceeding the limit to be clamped and impounded.

Edghill said the government has taken decisive steps to protect the country’s infrastructure from damage caused by overloaded trucks.

“We cannot as a country continue to build infrastructure, roads and bridges, and shortly after have them damaged because of indiscriminate use and carrying of excessive loads by trucks,” the minister stated.

Testing began on Thursday on High Street in Georgetown.

“As of now, we have started testing and setting for the enforcement of 15 tonnes per axle on our roadways,” Edghill said.

For the next 48 hours, mobile teams from the Public Works Ministry, working in collaboration with the Guyana Police Force, will be deployed to various roadways to conduct testing and sensitisation exercises. Locations include major highways such as the Soesdyke/Linden Highway, the Bharrat Jagdeo Demerara River Bridge, and several villages and communities.

Once the 48-hour trial period ends, strict enforcement will commence.

“Every trucker, every transportation provider, whether it is sand, loam, aggregate, cement, steel, whatever the merchandise or material, you will be tested and enforcement will take place,” Edghill warned.

He further stated that any truck found carrying more than 15 tonnes per axle “will remain parked right where we catch you until the excess weight is removed, and you will then be prosecuted by the police.”

To support the new initiative, the Ministry will use weigh-in-motion scales at strategic locations and has procured 1,000 truck clamps. These scales, equipped with motion sensors to measure both the front and back axles of trucks, will ensure accurate and efficient monitoring of vehicle weights.

Minister Edghill urged sand pit and loam pit operators, as well as service providers, to comply with the new regulation.

“We expect that in the next 48 hours, everyone will bring themselves in order. After that, we will start strict enforcement. We will use every available mechanism under the regulations and the laws to enforce it,” he said.