The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) says it is establishing eight additional operational outposts on Abuja-Kaduna road to deal with expected rise in vehicular and human traffic on the route from March 8.
The FRSC Corps Marshal, Mr Boboye Oyeyemi, disclosed this at a news conference in Abuja on Thursday.
The Federal Government recently announced plans to close the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, for six weeks from March 8 to pave way for repairs on the runway.
During the period, flights would be diverted to neighbouring Kaduna Airport from where passengers to or from Abuja would travel by rail or road, aviation authorities said.
The FRSC boss said this would, therefore, lead to increase in human and vehicular traffic on the Abuja-Kaduna road with an estimated driving distance of 199 kilometres.
He stated that more vehicles and operational logistics would be deployed alongside adequate personnel on the route to boost the corps’ capacity to promptly respond to emergencies within the period and beyond.
Oyeyemi assured travelers along the corridor and other routes across the country of the FRSC’s presence and preparedness to effectively manage the traffic.
He solicited orderly conduct and cooperation from motorists and other road users with traffic management agencies.
The corps marshal announced that full enforcement of the installation of speed limiter in commercial vehicles would now begin on Feb. 1.
Speed limiter is a device installed in vehicles to limit their top speed.
The official speed limit for buses in Nigeria is 90 kilometres per hour, but the device is calibrated to 95 kilometres per hour.
Enforcement was initially scheduled to begin on Sept. 1, 2015, but postponed several times following pleas by stakeholders.
The FRSC boss said different categories of commercial vehicles must calibrate their devices in accordance with the respective permissible speed limits.
He noted that “Nigerian roads are not race tracks and the corps is determined to ensure that this remains so. There will not be any short-cut to this.
“We count on the sensibilities of Nigerians to rise against national challenges; this is not expected to be an exception.”