GEORGETOWN – The monumental opening of the Bharrat Jagdeo Demerara River Bridge has triggered an immediate and dramatic overhaul of Guyana’s transport sector, with the government moving to implement its toughest-ever weight regulations for trucks and heavy-duty vehicles. The crackdown is designed to end the “costly maintenance” cycle caused by massive road deterioration.
Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill, announced yesterday that the new limits have received Cabinet approval and will soon be put into force. The new standard is “15 tonnes per axle,” a regulation that will now apply universally to all bridges and roads across the entire country. Edghill explained that these measures are critical to preventing the chronic damage caused by heavily overloaded vehicles.
To enforce this stringent new limit, the Ministry of Public Works is rolling out a massive, unforgiving enforcement mechanism: High-Tech Surveillance: Weigh-in-motion scales will be installed at strategic locations to catch overweight trucks instantly.
The Clampdown: The Guyana Police Force has procured 1,000 truck clamps specifically for this new regulation. The penalties will be swift and costly.
“When you’re caught overweight, it’s not just a ticket. We are clamping you, and you’re going to stay there until the excess weight is discharged,” Minister Edghill warned. He stressed that allowing overloaded vehicles to proceed would only create “damages as you go along.”
The new US$262 million bridge, commissioned on Sunday, is built for heavier traffic volumes than the ancient Demerara Harbour Bridge, which was limited to 18 tonnes. However, the government’s message is that modern infrastructure must be matched by strict regulation.
This combination of advanced bridge infrastructure and rigid enforcement is central to the government’s broader strategy to ensure that Guyana’s rapidly expanding transport network remains durable, efficient, and capable of sustaining the nation’s booming trade and commerce.
