By: Tiana Cole | HGP Nightly News |
The Government of Guyana is moving to strictly enforce the 15-tonne-per-axle weight limit on trucks using the country’s roadways.
Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill said the measure is aimed at protecting Guyana’s roads and bridges from damage caused by overloaded vehicles.
Speaking during a briefing, Minister Edghill announced that mobile enforcement teams will be deployed nationwide to monitor and weigh trucks transporting heavy materials such as sand, loam, and cement.
He stated that the government has already begun testing and sensitization exercises on key transportation routes, including the Soesdyke–Linden Highway, the Bharrat Jagdeo Demerara River Bridge, and several other major corridors.
According to Minister Edghill, this new enforcement initiative is part of a wider infrastructure protection plan:
“We cannot as a country continue to build infrastructure—roads and bridges—and shortly after have them damaged because of indiscriminate use and the carrying of excessive loads by trucks.”
He further warned that truck operators found in violation will face immediate action.
“Once you are caught carrying more than 15 tonnes per axle, you will remain parked right where you are caught until the excess weight is removed, and you will then be prosecuted by the police.”
The Public Works Minister noted that truckers have been given a 48-hour testing window before the new enforcement measures are fully activated. He made it clear that the government intends to uphold the law without exception:
“The maximum load that we will allow is 15 tonnes per axle. If persons believe this is a joke, we will clamp the trucks, we will impound the trucks, and we will use every available mechanism under the regulations and the law to enforce it.”
The Ministry of Public Works said the initiative forms part of a broader effort to extend the lifespan of Guyana’s expanding road network and to reduce costly repairs due to premature structural wear and damage.
