By Siphiwe Nyathi
Mbombela - Motorists travelling on the N4's 570 km route can expect heavy traffic as the country prepares for another long weekend and next week’s school holidays.
The N4 toll road operator, Trans African Concessions (TRAC), said they were prepared to handle the expected influx of traffic.
"Traffic volumes at TRAC’s six toll plazas between Pretoria in Gauteng and Maputo in Mozambique are expected to spike on the afternoon of Friday, April 25, and the morning of Saturday, April 26, as travellers head eastward to destinations in Mpumalanga and Mozambique,” said TRAC spokesperson Solange Soares-Nicholson on Friday.
She said all emergency services and TRAC Assist teams will be on full alert throughout this period to ensure that response time to incidents and accidents is minimised.
All toll plazas, she said, will be working at full steam in order to accommodate heavy traffic volumes.
Soares-Nicholson said that the 2014 Easter weekend proved to be one of the busiest ever on the N4, yet one of the most successful with no major increase in traffic volumes or any major accidents or fatalities.
“Despite fears that the stop/go between Nelspruit (Mbombela) and Malalane would result in major delays over Easter, no major problems were experienced at this construction site during the four-day long weekend.
"We envision that things will again run smoothly this time around. The stop/go was reduced to 2.7km as part of our Easter weekend contingency plans and TRAC is pleased to announce that it will remain this length until May 6," she said.
Soares-Nicholson said the stop/go on the Mozambican side - between Moamba and Matola - will also remain active due to the delicate nature of the construction works.
“We are however confident that as with Easter, no major hiccups will be experienced in this area. We realise that such situations may be a cause of frustration for members of the public, but we urge all road users to be patient, cautious and understanding that such projects are vital to ensure a good, safe road,” said Soares-Nicholson.
She said travellers heading to Mozambique are also reminded that the Lebombo Border Post, just outside Komatipoort, will be open 24 hours a day until May 4 in order to prevent major delays and disruptions.
“Road users are also reminded and urged to make use of the TRAC Assist service which is managed by the TRAC Helpdesk," said Soares-Nicholson.
All emergencies, incidents, accidents - or any other significant events on the N4 - can be reported to the Helpdesk on 0800 8722 64. – SAnews.gov.za
