The Liberia National Police has given an ultimatum to operators of motorcycles and tricycles to abide by the No-go zone policy instituted several years ago to regulate safety and traffic.

Addressing a news conference over the weekend, Police Inspector General Col. Gregory Coleman said, as of May 15, 2024 no motorcycle rider will be allowed to ply the major streets of Monrovia and its environs.

The Police Chief asserted that the measure is intended to minimize the high rate of accidents, crimes and deaths resulting from commercial motorcycle accidents.

Over the last few years, some criminals have been in the habit of using motorcycles to snatch people’s phones, handbags or carry out armed robberies, especially at night.

 The “No go areas” are identified as the Beer Factory to Monrovia, GSA Road to Monrovia, the entire ELWA-RIA highway, Gardnersville to Freeport and the main boulevard. The policy he said is part of the government’s security measures.

Col. Coleman said regarding the police engagements and public safety on the enforcement of the No-Go Zones, LNP is extensively coordinating with the Federation of Motorcycle and Tricycle Union to ensure a cordial and sustainable solution to hazards posed by cyclists on the main streets.

He further said the objective of the approach is to get the cyclist’s involvement and buy in which has proven to be a more sustainable and less forceful approach.

According to him, right now, they are in the sensitization phase and enforcement will begin by the 15 of May; adding that he has given them sufficient time to adjust themselves.

“We are doing this so it can’t be against the police because we are trying to limit our interactions with them that will result in violence,” IG Coleman said.

He indicated that “those group of people (cyclists, kekeh) are extremely vulnerable and exploited; as well, that’s why “we are careful not just because of that but because we are managing the space in a way that we are responsible to preserve the peace so we are doing everything possible to ensure that we are law enforcement will do everything that the peace is kept; it made be seen that we are slow but we are sure.”

The Police IG said that their approach to the public safety issues is completely different, which he stated that everyone’s expectation is that; motorcyclists and tricycles should be off the street by now.

“That’s not our approach, our approach is more from the standpoint of withholding the culture of safety and this culture of safety doesn’t stop motorbikes and kehkeh riders but goes to all road users so we been engaging them at different levels of education which is a cardinal point; we can’t just start running people off the street, it has to take some times,” the IG added.

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