This, as travellers make use of this opportunity to take their first holiday break this year, says Anita Heyl on behalf of the N3 Toll Concession (N3TC).  

Commercial manager, Con Roux, says while the company is geared to welcome leisure travellers back to the route, all road users should carefully plan their trips.  

He says long-distance journeys, especially at peak times, could place additional strain on motorists as roads become congested and delays are the order of the day.

The N3 Toll Route connects the many tourist destinations of the N3 Gateway region - from Gauteng to Mpumalanga, the eastern and southern Free State, the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg mountain range, KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, the port of Durban and coastal towns along the Indian ocean.  

Although N3TC does everything within its power to minimise traffic disruptions at peak times, road users should prepare for slow-moving traffic and congestion at construction sites, warns Roux. He says road works will be limited to essential maintenance work, but lane closures will have to remain in place at construction sites. “We have no other alternative but to push ahead with the construction programme in order to be ready for the December peak traffic season,” explains Roux.  

Road users are advised to be prepared for possible delays. This, as stress, impatience, frustration and tiredness impacts road safety and may cause drivers to lose concentration. Roux says from traffic and road accident data gathered over many years on the N3 Toll Route, it is clear that the majority of crashes are caused by human error, which includes negligent driving, lack of concentration, ignoring warnings or a disregard for basic safety measures.

Road users can obtain essential information or report problems on the route to the N3TC helpline on 0800 63 4357 or by following N3TC on Twitter at @N3Route.

OFM News/Blaine Jones