Road safety experts meet in capital

A GROUP of Swedish road safety experts are in Windhoek to meet with various local role players from the roads and transport sector to discuss possible areas of future co-operation.

The meeting, which was organised by the Swedish International Development Co-operation Agency (SIDA), started at a local hotel yesterday and is attended by representatives from the Roads Authority, City Police, Namibian Police, Namibia Transport and Taxi Union (NTTU), Namibia Bus and Taxi Association (Nabta), Namdeb, Ministry of Works, Transport and Communications, Namibia Breweries Limited, Pupkewitz Group and Global Road Safety Partnership (GRSP). Starting ten years ago, Sweden embarked on a programme called Vision Zero, which combined conventional approaches such as speeding and drunk-driving crackdowns.Speaking at the opening of the meeting, the Charge d’Affaires of the Swedish Embassy, Lena Johansson Blomstrand, encouraged delegates to make optimum use of opportunities for future co-operation.She expressed hope that participants will obtain first-hand information to establish contacts for the future.The six-member delegation consists of representatives from the Swedish Road Haulage Association, Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute, Swedish Road Administration and SIDA.Programme Officer of SIDA, Ola Nilsmo, explained that a report will be completed by the end of the meeting with recommendations for future co-operation.”Sweden has made great strides to ensure road safety and we are more willing to help if the role players in Namibia want us to,” he said.According to him, the delegation will operate in collaboration with local role players in the road safety sector to influence system designers and closely monitor their activities so that the road transport system will ultimately be as safe and sound as possible.The expertise covers operational analysis, road safety inquiry methodology, statistics and how quality management systems should be conducted and put into practice.This will include the implementation of a safe, environmentally sound and gender-equal road transport system that contributes to regional development and offers individuals and the business community easy accessibility and high transport quality.The meeting ends Friday.NampaStarting ten years ago, Sweden embarked on a programme called Vision Zero, which combined conventional approaches such as speeding and drunk-driving crackdowns.Speaking at the opening of the meeting, the Charge d’Affaires of the Swedish Embassy, Lena Johansson Blomstrand, encouraged delegates to make optimum use of opportunities for future co-operation.She expressed hope that participants will obtain first-hand information to establish contacts for the future.The six-member delegation consists of representatives from the Swedish Road Haulage Association, Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute, Swedish Road Administration and SIDA.Programme Officer of SIDA, Ola Nilsmo, explained that a report will be completed by the end of the meeting with recommendations for future co-operation.”Sweden has made great strides to ensure road safety and we are more willing to help if the role players in Namibia want us to,” he said.According to him, the delegation will operate in collaboration with local role players in the road safety sector to influence system designers and closely monitor their activities so that the road transport system will ultimately be as safe and sound as possible.The expertise covers operational analysis, road safety inquiry methodology, statistics and how quality management systems should be conducted and put into practice.This will include the implementation of a safe, environmentally sound and gender-equal road transport system that contributes to regional development and offers individuals and the business community easy accessibility and high transport quality.The meeting ends Friday.Nampa