Roadway revamp urged following Taipa bus accident

The bus crash in Old Taipa last Saturday afternoon, which injured seven people and razed a storefront, has served as a wake-up call about the pressing need to review the current road design and infrastructure in Macau, according to an expert from the Macao Federation of Transportation.
The fact that the bus lost control and smashed head-on into a restaurant near a bend in the road raises questions about whether the narrow roadway may have been partially to blame for the accident.
The larger buses introduced by local bus companies only add tension on already-cramped roads — a persistant problem associated with the constant traffic and congestion in Macau, Lau Wai Keong, subdirector of the federation told TDM.
The expert urged the SAR government to review the current road design and bus routes, saying it’s integral to relocate bus routes to roadways with wider lanes to ensure the safety of both passengers and drivers.
Following the accident, many groups are expressing concern are calling on the SAR government to widen the roads and modify supporting facilities to prevent similar mishaps.
Other suggestions included tapping into innovative technology to enhance road safety and reinforcing regular check-ups on public buses.
As of now, the cause of the accident is unknown and is still under investigation.
The Transport Bureau has urged Transmac, one of two public bus operators in Macau, to submit a detailed report on the accident.
Transmac made an announcement earlier, saying that the affected bus had undergone an inspection which confirmed that its brake system tested fit.
The Labour Affairs Bureau is now assisting a restaurant employee, who was injured after being hit by the bus, with their application for work-related compensation. Staff Reporter