“I hereby call for assistance regarding the law about truck stopping in a town. I am a proud owner of a B&B I have a 7 day a week truck stop in front of my premises, it is absolutely disgusting no urinal, ladies of the night the noise the rumbling of their trucks morning and night. This is effecting my business badly as my customers turn away not wanting to stay over under these circumstances could you please assist I have approached the local Municipality and am corresponding timorously with no response.
I have from time to time asked the SAP to assist. The Traffic Department says there are no signage saying no truck stop therefore they cant ask them to leave. I have written asking for signage but it seems there is no light in the tunnel. Do I take something like this to the papers as far as I understand there is a road ordinance concerning this matter.”
Answer:
The land owner has approached this matter in the correct way – by asking the municipality to put up signs that prohibit trucks from stopping outside the business.
The municipality must respond and either put up signs or give reasons why they should not prohibit trucks from stopping there.
The municipality has the authority to do this in terms of the National Road Traffic Act (Section 57 (3) (a) as the Street is a municipal road.
The Municipality may have a bye-law regarding the general prohibition of trucks stopping in residential or urban areas but this is very difficult to enforce.
Perhaps the District Roads Engineer in the Department of Roads and Public Works could assist, but it is not strictly in his jurisdiction