As concerns grow over traffic congestion and road safety, there is a need to review policies on the optimum number of vehicles that Fiji’s road network can safely accommodate.
This was highlighted by the Minister for Transport, Public Works and Meteorological Services, Ro Filipe Tuisawau while speaking at the official launch of the Land Transport Authority’s NODA LTA e-Service platform and new website.
The Minister says Fiji currently has more than 240,000 registered vehicles operating on approximately 7,000 kilometres of road.
He stressed that when vehicle numbers are considered against the limited length of the road network, it raises critical questions about how many vehicles Fiji’s roads can safely accommodate.
He adds that this issue must be carefully considered as part of broader transport planning and road safety policies, emphasising that road safety remains a major national concern and a shared responsibility.
The Minister also highlighted that for many years, LTA services relied heavily on manual, counter-based processes, often resulting in long queues, processing delays, and higher costs for customers.
He says the digital transformation of LTA services is intended to address these challenges by improving efficiency, strengthening governance, and enhancing transparency.
He adds that the initiative represents a national investment of $15.4 million over three years, reflecting the Government’s commitment to sustainable, high-impact digital solutions that deliver long-term value for citizens and businesses.
Meanwhile, LTA Chief Executive Officer Irimaia Rokosawa described the launch of the NODA LTA e-Service platform as a significant milestone for both the Authority and the people of Fiji.
He says the platform brings LTA services closer to the public by allowing access at the click of a button and reducing the need for customers to physically visit LTA branches for basic services.
Rokosawa says Traffic Infringement Notice searches, transfers, and payments, as well as licence-related services, can now be accessed online.
He adds that secure digital payment options are available through ANZ, BSP, M-PAiSA, and MyCash.
The CEO also raised concerns about the increasing number of vehicles and whether existing road infrastructure can sustain continued growth.
He says a comprehensive study is needed to assess vehicle numbers against road capacity, particularly as vehicle importation continues to rise.
Rokosawa is urging all stakeholders involved in vehicle importation to remain mindful that Fiji is an island nation with limited space.
He further highlighted that road fatalities have increased alongside vehicle registrations, noting that over the past two years, registrations rose by about 10 percent.
The CEO also highlighted growing pressure on enforcement capacity, saying that two years ago there was one enforcement officer for every 1,500 vehicles.
He says this has now increased to one officer for every 1,600 vehicles, indicating that enforcement resources are not keeping pace with vehicle growth.
Rokosawa adds that to address this challenge, LTA is expanding online services to reduce administrative workload and reallocate staff to enforcement duties.
He says moving services online will free up manpower from frontline administrative roles and allow the Authority to strengthen its enforcement teams.
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