With the Easter weekend looming, many South Africans will be taking to the roads for a short break or to visit family and friends. With thousands more vehicles expected on the roads, Bakwena Platinum Corridor Concessionaire (Bakwena) encourages road users to stick to the rules of the road and drive carefully.
Bakwena spokesperson, Charmaine van Wyk, says Bakwena has once again partnered with Imperial Road Safety and Hyundai SA to double up on an additional 6 patrol vehicles. “These additional vehicles will assist with more visible policing and crash assistance, as well as providing help to road users who find themselves in difficulties along the route.”
In an effort to encourage motorists to stop and take regular breaks during their journey, Bakwena has also partnered with McDonalds Bela Bela to provide a complimentary cup of coffee to all truck and bus drivers going through Mantsole weighbridge on the N1 north as well as motorists passing through Carousel toll plaza this Easter period.
Bakwena expects between 2400 and 2800 vehicles per hour to pass through Pumulani and Carousel toll plaza during peak periods over the Easter weekend. “” says van Wyk. Bakwena encourages road users to plan their journeys in advance during this time. Expected peak travel times are as follows:
N1 northbound: Thursday 29 March between 12:00 and 21:00 N1 northbound: Friday 20 March between 09h00 and 12h00. N1 southbound: Monday 2 April 09h00 and 21h00.
We encourage travellers to leave a little earlier or slightly later to avoid peak travel periods, where they can,” says van Wyk.
In an emergency, road users can call the Bakwena Customer Care centre on 0800-Bakwena (0800-2259362). They are urged to use the information displayed on the blue kilometre board markers to provide details of their location when reporting an accident or requesting assistance.
In addition, motorists can also follow @BakwenaN1N4 on Twitter for live traffic updates.
Road safety is one of Bakwena’s key pillars. “We do everything we can to ensure our roads are safe for travellers and urge road users to apply travel with caution during peak travel periods. We’d also like to wish all travellers a happy and safe Easter break and look forwards to welcoming all motorists back on our roads soon,” concludes van Wyk.