A July 11 traffic accident on the Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway in Kampong Speu province. POLICE
A ban on public vehicles on the yet-to-be-completed Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway was announced by the Ministry of Public Works and Transport on July 12 as use of the unfinished road resulted in increasing numbers of accidents.
The ministry announcement said construction of the expressway, which is being invested by the China Road and Bridge Corp (CRBC), is not yet fully finished, with road signs and other safety features yet to be installed.
“Currently, the number of citizens travelling on the road is increasing significantly and causing a greater number of accidents,” the announcement stated.
To prevent construction being affected to ensure the project is completed on time and to prevent accidents, the ministry has decided to close all entrances and exits to public vehicles, with only those serving the project or having ministry approval allowed access, it added.
Ministry spokesman Kong Vimean said the ministry had twice announced restrictions on using the road before it was officially opened, and that the construction companies needed to strictly enforce the ban for it to be effective.
“I would like to call on the road construction companies to strictly monitor access to the expressway before it is officially opened because it will interrupt construction and there is also a high risk of accidents.
“In the case of guards allowing vehicles to access the road, they be should dismissed immediately,” Vimean said.
He said that the expressway project would cost about $2 billion, with CRBC having invested for 50 years.
Hem Sovann, a Phnom Penh resident, said that before the road was officially opened, the ministry should have a separate regulation for using the expressway, with drivers having to comply with certain conditions.
“Drivers using the expressway must have at least two years of experience and vehicles must be certified by the ministry, while many other conditions should be implemented to ensure the safety of users,” Sovann said.
Sovann said a lot of drivers, for example, did not know how to properly use indicators, poorly signalling and confusing the drivers behind them.
According to a report by Kampong Speu Provincial Police, on the afternoon of July 11 two minivans collided on the Phnom Penh-Preah Sihanouk Expressway at Komar Pet village in Phnom Sruoch district, resulting in six people being injured, three seriously.
Vimean said the expressway is scheduled to be partially opened to commuters in September, with construction now more than 94 per cent complete.
