Trucks weighing more than five tons are banned from passing through Phnom Penh and face a fine of $25 if they attempt to do so, municipal officials said Monday.
Companies with warehouses in the city have been offered a temporary exemption but asked to relocate.
The ban will prevent traffic jams and damage to roads and the environment, said Phnom Penh municipal Cabinet Chief Mann Chhoeun.
“We noticed that heavy trucks often destroy Phnom Penh’s streets and create many problems with traffic accidents,” Mann Chhoeurn said.
“Due to the 50 percent plus 50 percent policy, we expect all of Phnom Penh’s streets to be paved this year.”
The policy divides the cost of road construction between local residents and the government.
About 70 percent of Phnom Penh’s more than 600 km of streets have been paved, but more than 200 km remain to be paved, said Municipal Public Works and Transportation Director Nhem Saran.
The December order forces trucks to remain on the outskirts of the city in the Kobsrov and Chaom Chau areas and to travel only on street numbers 70, 273, 516, 315, 598, 271 and 371.
To transport goods into the capital, large trucks must stop outside the city and reload cargo onto smaller trucks.
But trucks possessing letters of permission from the municipality, such as those carrying gasoline or construction materials for public works, will be allowed to drive within the city.
Companies with warehouses in the city and permission letters from the municipality will be allowed to carry up to 25 tons, though they will be banned during peak traffic hours from 7 am to 8:30 am, 11 am to noon and 5 pm to 6:30 pm.
Trucks carrying sand, soil or rocks are also required to have cargo properly covered to prevent spillage.
