CAIRO - Hundreds of Egyptian truck drivers went on a strike Friday to protest against a clause of the new Traffic Law, which bans trailers from using the nation's roads by 2011. The strike, which affected some ports and cargo terminals nationwide, is expected to lead to an increase in food and vegetable prices. The Government's indifference has continued to stoke the truck drivers' anger. Tension grew around major ports because the striking truckers blocked entrances as their trucks stood idle. The members of the Heavy Transport Workers Union went on full strike, demanding that the Government rescind the clause. "Since the Government has done nothing to end this transportation crisis and minimise its impact on the national economy, the truckers' strike will go on," el-Aadawi Abul Kheir said. The truck owners, who say the new law will put them out of a livelihood, demanded the Government to cancel the hefty fines imposed on them by the Traffic Police. "No clashes between the striking drivers and the police were reported. No arrests were made either," Abul Kheir said. Further action will take place if the strikers' demands are not met, he said. Transport Ministry officials say that there are 40,000 articulated vehicles in use in Egypt and they account for a disproportionate number of accidents. They also say that 60 per cent of those lorries are over 15 years old and should be banned from the roads.
