Transportation: 30% Exemption Private Vehicles, Taxis 50%

Transportation: 30% exemption for private vehicles and 50% for taxis

July 20, 20120 comments

Press Release
Government Media Office
18/07/2012

The Ministry of Transport and Communications in Gaza confirmed that they are applying the decision to discount license fees by 30% for private vehicles and by 50% for taxis. This cut will reduce the Palestinian peoples’ suffering under the difficult economic circumstances.

In the program ‘Meeting with Responsibles’ organized by the Government Media Office within the campaign ‘We Build our Country’, the spokesperson of the Ministry Khalil Zayan said, “We have been working in the past few years on controlling traffic conditions through issuing licenses for vehicles and checking their legal papers, as well as holding traffic awareness campaigns.”

He said that his Ministry was able to give licenses for 6,000 previously unregistered vehicles. They also were able to return 40 stolen vehicles to their owners.

He also noted that it has recently become possible to unify number-plates and classify them in order to limit traffic chaos, and assist catching those committing traffic offenses.

Number plates

He pointed out that co-ordinating vehicle number plates is a step towards the policy of national unity with vehicles in the West Bank and Jerusalem. They recently changed 33,000 number plates.

They also worked on ensuring taxi fares suit both the driver and civilians. Civilians must report any drivers who raise their fares.

They are also supervising the importation of vehicles from Egypt through tunnels by founding the Governmental Commission of Investment, to which the trader must provide all information about the vehicles.

Traffic campaigns

In terms of motorcycles and tktacks, Zayan confirmed that several license and awareness campaigns were organized in order to reduce the number of road accidents that happen as a result of not following road signs. Also road accidents happen because the driver doesn’t have a driving license.

He noted that 11,000 motorcycle and 20,000 tktacks were licensed. He clarified that the number of tktacks in acceptable condition since it helps to reduce the suffering of the Palestinian civilian by using them in trading.

He said that his Ministry recently organized several traffic campaigns like “My Life is Precious”, “Your Summer is Safe” and “Your Community Loves You” and organized protective procedures.

He added, “We could secure the coastline by preventing the motorcycles on Thursday and Friday which provided a comfortable atmosphere for the civilians. We also sent awareness voices messages to the civilians via mobile phones.”

He continued, “Our campaigns targeted about 10,000 female students through the awareness events of summer camps to teach them how to cross the road. Also the campaigns targeted 10,000 mothers to guide and teach the next generation the right rules.”

Translation by Mukarram AbuAlouf

ENDS

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