Thohoyandou - The Limpopo MEC for Roads and Transport, Pinky Kekana, has opened the first of three state-of-the-art new traffic stations.
The first one, at Thohoyandou, was opened on Wednesday morning and will be followed by the opening of new stations in Mokopane and Moutse on Thursday and Friday respectively.
"This means vehicles will be tested closer to the communities concerned, and prospective drivers will also get services such as learner's and driver's licences closer to home," said Kekana on Wednesday.
She said the new stations, to the tune of R38 million in total, would accommodate 240 law enforcement officers in total and render services to 37 major provincial roads.
Kekana also said access roads, pedestrian walkways and cycling lanes would still be constructed near the stations, which would create new job opportunities for local residents.
Wisani Ngobeni, the department's Head of Communications, said the notorious N1 highway, which had claimed more than 100 lives between January and September this year, would be better serviced now.
"The stations are strategically located. The Mokopane one is close to the N1 to enable an easy deployment of officers on the road and an immediate response to road accidents," Ngobeni said.
He said 268 road users have been killed on the province's roads so far this year out of a total of 367 accidents reported.
The opening of the stations forms part of events to mark October as Transport Month.
