TRAC urges motorist to be careful on N4
This is in a bid to prevent major delays and disruptions on the N4 and at the border itself
MALALANE – On December 11 TRAC N4 officially launched its December Campaign on the N4 Toll Route, which is expected to run until next year.
Road safety and rapid response time to incidents and accidents that occur on the N4 route during this busy traffic period will be the key focus of the initiative.
Traffic on the N4 Toll Route is expected to increase dramatically in December and January and as concessionaire of this road TRAC has been hard at work preparing this escalation.
December is traditionally one of the busiest times of the year on the N4 with thousands of motorists travelling between Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Mozambique.
It is therefore imperative for TRAC to facilitate the implementation of road-safety measures and the availability of 24-hour rapid, roadside assistance and response.
“December 11 and January 3 have been identified as possibly the busiest days on the N4 Toll Route this festive season and therefore on both these days TRAC will hold activations at Alzu Petroport in Middelburg, and at specific spots along the 570-kilometre route,” said TRAC spokesman, Ms Solange Soares-Nicholson. Soares-Nicholson added that a number of emergency services would be participating in activations.
“The activations will see a large contingency of emergency services, including the TRAC help desk and TRACAssist, stationed at this popular rest stop from 10:00 to 22:00. From there they will be dispatched simultaneously in the event of an incident or accident, thus decreasing response time to emergencies.
“The participating emergency services will include ambulances, paramedics, fire and rescue, provincial traffic, pathology units, TRAC Accident Response, TRAC help desk and TRAC Road Assist Response.
“Smaller response units will also be stationed at strategic points on the toll route – namely Bronkhorstspruit, Middelburg, Milly’s and Mbombela – in an effort to enhance incident/accident response time even more.”
The campaign will also be in full swing across the border in Mozambique, where Emergency Services and TRACAssist will be stationed at the newly opened Pessene Load Control Centre on both days.
“The TRAC N4 December Campaign will be led by TRACAssist and the TRAC 24-hour help desk, which will act as the communications hub.
“The TRAC help desk is usually the first to be alerted of incidents on the road and therefore fulfils a vital role in this initiative.
“TRAC help-desk operators will be on duty throughout the campaign to notify and call out the emergency-services teams from the central dispatch area and to keep motorists, media and all relevant parties up to speed on the situation, off and on the road,” Soares-Nicholson added.
She concluded by saying they would also be activity involved in assisting and ensuring smooth running at the Lebombo Border Post. She said, “Because of the heavy traffic en route to the Lebombo Border Post at Komatipoort, TRAC will again work hand in hand with the Lebombo Border Control Operational Coordinating Committee and help with traffic-management measures.
“This is in a bid to prevent major delays and disruptions on the N4 and at the border itself.”
