Gweru seeks permission to charge inner-city toll fees

GWERU City Council is working on a by-law, which if approved by Government would see the local authority charging a toll fee for haulage trucks passing through the city.

Gweru has many chrome smelting companies in its heavy industrial area, a development, which has become a threat to the city’s road infrastructure as trucks carrying raw materials such as chrome and coal damage roads.

The city’s roads such as Bristol and Lobengula Avenue are now riddled with potholes because of the heavy trucks.

Gweru Mayor, Councillor Martin Chivhoko said they were in consultations with the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works with the view of having a new by-law that allow council to charge heavy trucks toll fees.

“We are doing our best to repair our roads especially in the central business district and in the industrial areas, but due to heavy trucks, a week after working on the road, it is damaged again,” he said.

Clr Chivhoko said the worst affected roads were Lobengula Avenue and Bristol Road, which lead to the smelting companies. “

These roads are damaged by haulage trucks carrying chrome, coal or steel.

“That is why we are engaging our parent ministry, so that we have by-laws that allow us to charge inner-city toll fees. We are talking of about US$3 or US$5 per truck, which will be channelled towards a road fund,” said Clr Chivhoko.

Gweru Residents and Rate Payers Association director, Mr Cornellia Selipiwe said the association agreed with council that haulage trucks should contribute towards the repair of the city’s roads.

“We are worried as residents that the bulk of the money meant for service delivery is now being channelled towards the rehabilitation of roads,” he said.