Bus drivers strike over traffic light safety concerns

Bus drivers went on strike on Friday morning, complaining that the government has ignored concerns related to traffic lights fitted with cameras.

According to their trade unions, Omepege-Sek and Segdamelin-Peo, the drivers have warned that the speed at which traffic lights change colour, combined with the fact that the cameras will record violations and allow the authorities to issue fines for those who run red lights, has made driving buses unsafe.

This, they say, is because drivers are forced to brake suddenly when the lights change colour, “which creates serious safety issues for passengers”, who are in almost all cases either sat without seatbelts or stood up.

They said they have made “repeated … warnings to the transport ministry”, but that “no substantial solution has been provided to date”.

The strike was set to last for two hours.