Consultancy Services for Road Transport Safety and Axle Load Control Study in Nepal

Project Description

In road construction and maintenance the vehicle overloading is one of the major contributors for early deterioration of the pavement condition. Vehicle overload control and or axle load control is very important to achieve the full life of the road pavement and attain the expected return from the investment on road infrastructures. Road transport management with proper safety consideration is crucial factor to achieve effective and safe road transport. In Nepal, the Department of Transport Management (DOTM) play a significant and proactive role in managing the vehicle transport in roads. DOTM, under financing from Nepal India Regional Trade and Transport Project (NIRTTP), intends to support to conduct an extensive study and implement activities to enhance the road transport safety and axle load control.

The broad objectives of the road transport safety study is to implement the actions identified in the road safety action plans to minimize road accidents through strengthening the road safety components related to the road safety management including legal provision; safer vehicles, safer roads and safer road users, assess and analyze the axle load control issues and recommend the appropriate provisions in the law and enforcement for overloading control in Nepal. The recommendations of the overloading control measures should be compatible with legal provision or it may be in the form of provision to the amendment of legal clauses in the existing Acts and Regulations
The specific objectives of the study are to:
• assess and improve the legislative aspects for road safety from the transport management perspective;
• assess and improve vehicular aspects for road traffic safety;
• review and develop the traffic management and insurance system related to the road traffic safety;
• develop effective methods of public awareness and road users on road safety;
• assess and improve the existing legal provisions for effective axle load overloading control;
• assess the existing axle load control applied by various agencies and private sector and develop a specific guidelines for implementation of axle load overloading control
• assess the effect of overloading in terms of it’s effect on road and its maintenance, effects on the vehicle operating cost and vehicle life, and develop effective and specific results to be used to raise public and road user’s awareness regarding overloading control;

Assignment Description

The overall objective of the consulting services was to assess and improve the road transport safety and axle load control mechanism from the transport management perspective. The study was divided into two components: Part A (Road Transport Safety) and Part B (Axle Load Control). The details of the study are as follows: Part A: Road Transport Safety • Strengthening the road safety components related to the road safety management including legal provision; safer vehicles, safer roads and safer road users. • Assess and improve the legislative aspects for road safety from the transport management perspective. • Assess and improve vehicular aspects for road traffic safety • Review and develop the traffic management and insurance system related to the road traffic safety. • Develop effective methods of public awareness and road users on road safety • Identifying and preparing amendments required in MYTMA -1993, MYTMR – 1994 and other documents to ensure road safety from transport management perspective. • Developing safe vehicle guidelines for public as well as private sector. • Reviewing of existing and developing adequate insurance policy for: vehicle. Passenger & baggage, workers in transport service sector, and third party insurance. • Reviewing of existing route selection and permit procedures and recommend appropriate standard and scientific procedures. • Reviewing and preparing guidelines for the establishment and operation of following facilities with the necessary amendments in legal provision. • Assessing the existing accident data recording practices and propose the efficient mechanism for managing the road accident data. • Reviewing and updating the existing standard road traffic signs to incorporate the best international standard practices including the standards for the road traffic dividers, signs, signals, safety barriers, road marking etc. • Reviewing and preparing the comprehensive code of conduct for all road users (drivers, pedestrian, street venders etc including minimum standards to be followed by the public transport service providers or entrepreneurs • Reviewing and developing standard manual for designing, implementing and evaluating road safety awareness campaign for specific road users target group: school children pedestrian, two wheeler riders, drivers of public buses and truck drivers etc. Part B: Axle load control • Access and analyze the axle load control issues and recommend the appropriate provisions in the law and enforcement for overloading control in Nepal. • Assess and improve the existing legal provisions for effective axle load overloading control: • Assess the existing axle load control applied by various agencies and private sector and develop specific guidelines for implementation of axle load overloading control • Assess the effect of overloading in terms of it's effect on road and its maintenance, effects on the vehicle operating cost and vehicle life. • Review and recommend on the of institutional, regulatory and entrepreneurial aspects for the effective vehicle axle load overloading control; • Assess freight flow pattern in the strategic road network in due consideration of cross border freight, industrial corridor, mega projects, and identify the important locations for the axle load control stations. • Review of existing axle load and gross vehicle weight limit for various wheel combinations, and recommend the permissible axle loads or gross vehicle weight based on the international and regional practices • Review, assess and recommend the charges/fees/fines with suitable payment modalities - for vehicle overloading including a standard process through which such charges/ fees/ fines could be updated on the regular basis; • Prepare vehicle overload control guidelines for DOTM officials. • Assess economic impact of axle load and or vehicle overloading on road pavement, road life cycle costs, traffic accidents, and vehicle operation cost and vehicle life and prepare report. • Assess the requirement of a standard Axle Load Control Management Information System (ALC-MIS) to be used in the axle load control stations and reporting it to the central database. In addition the consultant conducted seminars, workshops and stakeholders meetings and developed mechanism to incorporate the feedback for finalizing and submission of Draft Report and Final Report.