Shortly after the appointment of Inspector Flavius Saidu Sesay as the new Western Regional Traffic Coordinator he warned that riders plying forbidden routes will be arrested. Some 100 motor bikes were arrested yesterday and parked at the Central Police Station. In an interview with Awoko yesterday at the Central Police station Track1 as his office is normally referred to said the bikes were arrested because of flouting traffic rules and other offences.
He stated that those bikes arrested for plying the forbidden areas are charged for using unauthorized routes, failing to wear crash helmets and failing to advise their passengers to use the crash helmets. He also stated that they are charged for riding without licenses and unlicensed and uninsured motor bikes.
Inspector Sesay further reacted to allegations made by some bike riders that they are arrested on the authorized routes designated to them. He stated: “We do not arrest them in the areas designated for them because they have specific areas they should ride and other areas they should not ride like the central business district at Goderich Street, Abacha Street, Kissy road, PZ and all the Streets leading to PZ, He further stated that they had been warned not to ply as far as Kingharman Road, Hill Cut Road, Main motor Road, Wilkinson road and Spur Road. These are all forbidden routes but the bike riders continue to use them”.
He also stated that his division sat with the bike riders at a meeting where the routes were decided upon. “They are stubborn as they continue using these forbidden routes that is why the Executive Management Board of the Sierra Leone Police urged us to spring into action to enforce the law by arresting them” he said
He also confirmed that a two weeks notice had been sent out warning bike riders not to ply after 10: pm. He said the decision was for security reasons.
By Ishmael Bayoh
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