Traffic Problems: More than 200 Vehicles Entered the Capital per Minute

More than 200 vehicles enter Port Louis every minute during peak hours. While it is still considering how to tackle this problem effectively, the fleet continues to grow it, making the situation more and more unmanageable.

Despite the reopening of roads yesterday, the problem was still evident.

The fleet is growing as the country is a country with a raised road density. According to Statistics Mauritius, the vehicle fleet grew by 10,608 (2.6%) units from December 2011 to June 2012. The number of vehicles registered at the National Transport Authority, it has increased from 400 919 to 411 527.

The shortfall for the Mauritian economy in that it is the congestion is estimated between Rs 2.5 billion and Rs 3 billion, according to the Mauritius Research Council. Moreover, motorists pass about 600 hours in traffic annually.

Preference for private transport

The majority of government services and private sector are concentrated in Port-Louis, like a magnet, attracting the capital so employees and members of the public, choking the arteries of Port-Louis. Modal split (percentage use of public transport) is 49% for peak hours in the morning and 39% for the period of 12 hours. These figures are low and indicate a preference for the use of private transport, where the increased number of vehicles on our roads every morning.

According to statistics, during the peak hours of the morning, more than 200 vehicles to enter Port-Louis each passing minute. Between 7:00 and 9:00, nearly 7000 vehicles pass through the roundabout Terre Rouge to enter the capital. The number is about 8000 vehicles passing the side of the roundabout Caudan. In total, more than 25,000 vehicles enter the city every morning between 7:00 and 9:00 then between 7 and 17 hours, about 70,000 vehicles pass through Port-Louis.

If the relocation of public and private offices proposed by some seems to be a viable solution to decongest Port-Louis, it is however slowly. The other option that might make sense is the introduction of a toll system. Earlier this year, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) had also referred the matter to the mat by offering to charge motorists who pass through Port Louis during peak hours. "It is not enough to build new roads.

Because usually when there are new roads, more cars. Driving a car in Mauritius is not expensive. Hence the fact that many drivers use their vehicles. And, with the toll system, the problem of traffic congestion can be tackled effectively, "said Martin had Petri IMF at the end of his mission in Mauritius.

Port Louis

The capital, which remains a hub of the island, home to hundreds of thousands of people every day. Main administrative center is the workplace of thousands of civil servants and private sector employees. Port-Louis is however the second district of the country, after the Plaines Wilhems, in terms of economic activity, with thousands of business houses, wholesalers as retailers. Port-Louis is also the only port through which pass almost 420,000 containers per year.

In figures

Population: 128.319

Residences: 32.716

Number of jobs: 64.844

Economic activities: 23.229 permits

Road surface: 20%

Pre-primary schools: 131 (2.290 children)

Primary schools: 36 (15.491 students)

Schools: 27 (14.825 students)

Prévoc schools: 17

(CSO figures for 2011)