New land transport policy for La Digue |18 March 2022
The raison d’être of the new transport policy for La Digue is to make the island environmentally friendly through gradually reducing vehicles that have negative impact on the island’s environment
By Patrick Joubert
New measures to manage the transport system on La Digue is to turn it into a green island, the principal secretary for transport, Patrick Andre, has said.
PS Andre made the statement yesterday during a press briefing on new amendments made to the La Digue Land Transport Policy.
Also present at the meeting, which was held at the Ministry of Transport’s head office, Botanical House, were senior policy analyst Corinne Adolph and the principal information and communication officer, Alisha Jean-Louis.
The land transport policy for La Digue which incorporates road infrastructure and transportation services offered was re-drafted in 2018 and was approved by the cabinet of ministers on February 23, 2022.
The policy also caters for guidelines for request of new permits, and for re-application for new permits to operate the services.
It has come through as a result of a survey and consultations done from 2018 up to early 2022, through request and data collected from inhabitants and stakeholders on La Digue.
Elaborating on the new amendments, PS Andre said that the core base of the new transport policy for La Digue is to make the island environmentally friendly through gradually reducing vehicles that have negative impact on the island’s environment.
He stated that with the exception of a sewage truck and a public transport (bus), no new transport permit will be given for importation of any type of vehicles on the island taking into account that it is has reached capacity.
From now on, all bicycles on La Digue will be properly licensed and insured as per the required regulation. As not all of the bicycles on the island are being tested and verified for roadworthiness and for safety, they will be required to conduct the above tests before being issued with a license to be on the road.
Only electric bicycles, up to 300 watts capacity, will be permitted on the island while those above 300 watts will be removed on the island as they are not in conformity with the regulations and policy in existence. Riders will have to be 16 years old and above to ride the electric bikes and they will have to wear a safety helmet taking into account the speed of those bikes as compared to the traditional bicycles.
There are about 5000 bicycles on La Digue.
Normal bikers have been exempted from wearing safety helmet taking into account the specificity of the island and the economic impact.
With regard to pick-up trucks, as mentioned, no new permit will be issued unless for use temporarily in big projects where those present on the island cannot cope with the volume of work, after which the temporary truck or trucks will have to be removed from the island.
PS Andre said that a proper public transport system will be put in place as the present service being provided by camions in addition to a single bus, is not well organised.
He noted that there is a necessity to add another bus to better serve public transport demand on La Digue, in respect of new public transportation service schedules to be abided by.
He added that an expression of interest will be offered to anyone on the island interested in venturing in public transportation, including in a sewage truck.
He said that a sewage truck comes to the island from Praslin for sewage work on a temporary basis, and with a new truck, it will have permanent facility, 24 hours a day.
There are presently 8 taxi operators on La Digue in addition to some club cars that are operating illegally alongside the taxi business. Even though the taxi operators have raised concerns of the illegal practice, it has been found that the taxi operators cannot cope with the demand for taxi services and it is the reason why the club cars have stepped in.
PS Andre stated that to meet the required taxi demand service, especially for the benefit of visitors, apart from the 8 normal taxis, the policy has made provision for 12 club cars to operate legally as taxis.
He added that an assessment will be made to choose the 12 club cars that will operate as taxis.
He noted that the other club cars will have to operate within the ambit of their license and that is to serve their establishment’s clients and no other.
He stated that the moratorium for the importation of club cars on the island will be maintained. Presently there are 46 club cars on La Digue.
In view of making the island eco-friendly, PS Andre said that the current taxis will have to be replaced after seven years of service. Through the policy, they will have to be replaced with either an electric or a hybrid vehicle after their seven years of service.
PS Andre said that the policy also makes provision for maintaining the current vehicles, with no new additional ones, belonging to essential services on the island such as fire service, Ministry of Health, Public Utilities Corporation (PUC) and Cable and Wireless Seychelles (CWS).
He added that demand for motor cycles and scooters on the island was also debated and they were not approved.
He said that for the establishment of a proper database, an assessment is being made to record all vehicles and vehicle owners holding a permit on the island. Those presently with a vehicle permit will have to submit an application to the Road Transport Commission for renewal of their permit, three months before expiry date, to issue after based on whether or not they have breached the regulations and others in place.
Due to many requests for vehicles on La Digue, PS Andre said names for request for the different category of vehicles are listed on a first come first serve basis.
With regard to the ox cart service, PS Andre said that the unique service is completely on the decline and today there is one operator who operates only for wedding planners. He said that something has to be done to revive the ox cart service as part of the island’s unique culture.
