‘More vehicles than road space available worrying’

Minister for Transport Ro Filipe Tuisawau has warned that Fiji’s road network may be approaching a tipping point as the number of vehicles continues to grow faster than available road space.   

Ro Filipe said about 40,000 registered vehicles and licences were currently operating on 7000 kilometres of roads nationwide, raising serious concerns about congestion, safety and long-term sustainability.  

“We want roads where people can move freely and safely. If vehicle growth continues unchecked, we will place increasing strain on infrastructure that was never designed for this volume.”  

Ro Filipe said Government may need to relook at national vehicle and transport policies.  

“This is not just about convenience. It is about safety.”  

 Ro Filipe said policy reviews could be considered as Government balances development with road capacity.  

He said taxis and public transport reforms were also part of the wider conversation, as authorities worked to improve service delivery and regulation across the sector.  

The comments come as Government pushes ahead with major digital transformation at the Land Transport Authority (LTA), including online licensing, traffic infringement payments and customer service upgrades aimed at reducing congestion at LTA branches.  

However, Ro Filipe cautioned that technology alone couldn’t solve physical limitations.  

“Our systems can become smarter and faster, but our roads remain finite, and this is a challenge we must confront now.”  

He said addressing vehicle growth, congestion and road safety would require coordinated transport planning, stronger policy direction and public cooperation.  

Ro Filipe was speaking at the launch of the upgraded “Noda LTA” digital services at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva yesterday.