CAIRO: Truck drivers nationwide are calling on the President, the People's Assembly, the Prime Minister and all responsible bodies to interfere and prevent the implementation of an article in the new traffic law banning trailers. The article bans the use, importing or manufacture of tractor trailers, with a grace period of two years for owners to replace them with other means of cargo transportation. "The law is brutal and will cost many drivers and stakeholders in this field all over Egypt their jobs and their businesses.thousands will be subject to unemployment, the drivers said during a protest Tuesday. "This article is completely for safety measures, Ezzat Badawy, deputy head of the transportation and telecommunications committee at the PA, said. "These trailers cause 33.3 percent of road accidents. Before getting the green light from the PA in June, heated discussions of the new traffic law centered on two controversial articles: taxi license renewals for cars older than 20 years and the use of tractor trailers. The law was "amended to make it applicable to contemporary Egypt, said Badawy. "The [original] law was set in 1973, more than 30 years ago - it can't be applied in 2009, he added. Last month, the Ministry of Interior rejected a request by several MPs to amend the two contentious articles. Opposition MP Sabry Amer said that even if the new law makes sense technically, it cannot be implemented for economic reasons. Coupled with the current economic situation, the law would threaten the only source of income for a large number of Egyptian taxi drivers. In addition, the article regarding trailers will mean a loss of around LE 120,000 for truck drivers, which is the approximate cost of each trailer, according to Amer. On the other hand, Badawy said, "We are not trying to burden the public; of course the government will assist taxi drivers in replacing their cars. "There is a fund at the Ministry of Finance allocated to help taxi drivers whether by replacing the car or compensating them for it, he explained. Drivers have threatened to sell their trucks or go on strike if the article is implemented, which will in turn affect Egypt's trade sector due to the lack of cargo transportation.
