THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
nationthailand

Chadchart plans five-pronged strategy to urgently tackle traffic woes

Chadchart plans five-pronged strategy to urgently tackle traffic woes

Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt has called for an urgent solution to the traffic problems in the city, and discussed with Traffic Police Division five guidelines to improve the situation.

Chadchart visited Traffic Police Division at Chatuchak district on Wednesday to meet with traffic police commanders, to find a solution for Bangkok’s traffic.

Chadchart said after the meeting that the traffic problem needed to be solved urgently, especially as schools would be reopening and with the approaching rainy season. He summarised the five solutions as:

1. Joint cooperation: There are around 30 related organisations, including the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), Traffic Police Division, Transport Ministry, Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA), electric train organisations, and expressway organisations who must cooperate closely.

2. Set up a joint command centre: Chadchart said it already existed but it was not strong. He wanted representatives from the BMA and the BMTA to join the centre to help solve the problem.

The BMA will be responsible for creating a map of the traffic jam spots to analyse the problems. He said it would be done immediately and believed the problems would be eased at several spots. He added that the meeting on progress updates would be held every month.

 

Chadchart plans five-pronged strategy to urgently tackle traffic woes

3. Technology: There are currently around 100 surveillance cameras used for traffic from a total of 50,000 cameras. Meanwhile, the traffic lights are managed by the police at intersections. He said there should be a system to check and manage overall Bangkok traffic semi-automatically while some areas might require a person to take care of.

He will also set up a working unit to install and manage traffic lights to be efficient, which will take a year of study before the installation process.

Chadchart plans five-pronged strategy to urgently tackle traffic woes

4. Safety: The BMA will analyse roads that are dangerous spots to set a speed limit of 80kph. The BMA will also talk with the Metropolitan Police Bureau to limit speed in the city and community areas to create safety in the risky areas.

5. Motorcycle: He will discuss guidelines to improve efficiency and safety, such as demarcating a motorcycle lane or parking spots before intersections. He said riders need to be taken care of in a better way so he will talk with the Metropolitan Police Bureau to find a solution.

Chadchart plans five-pronged strategy to urgently tackle traffic woes

Chadchart suggested that using the automatic system and technology would help manage traffic better and easier. The BMA wanted traffic police to use technology to help detect traffic violators and use the fine to invest in the system.

Chadchart said that he will start with repeated problems first, such as on Rama IV Road as some cars park to deliver goods. If City Law officers help police officers, the traffic might be better.

He will visit the area next week to see what is the problem and find the solution. Moreover, he said the law should be enforced to solve the problem urgently while technology will be used as a medium-term solution.

He added that as the number of roads is less than vehicles, the roads must be used efficiently. He said technologies could help but it would not completely solve the problem because the number of vehicles is still high while the public transport system is not good. If the public transportation were better, more people would use it instead.

Traffic jams are a big problem but if everyone does their best, the result will be visible. Therefore, he asked every sector to fully help improve the traffic situation.

Chadchart plans five-pronged strategy to urgently tackle traffic woes

Chadchart plans five-pronged strategy to urgently tackle traffic woes

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