Benin: Handcarts banned on major roads
The Republican Police announced on Monday, September 8, 2025, a ban on hand-pulled vehicles on the country’s main paved roads. The decision aims to enhance safety, ease traffic flow, and improve urban aesthetics.
SUMMARY
The chaotic movement of pushcarts, carts, and other hand-pulled vehicles will no longer be tolerated on Benin’s major thoroughfares. In a notice posted on its official Facebook page, the Republican Police confirmed the measure has taken effect, marking a break with certain practices long ingrained in urban life.
« This decision is part of a drive to modernize our road infrastructure and ensure a safer living environment for everyone », the institution stated.
Law enforcement has already begun systematically removing these vehicles in the affected areas to clear obstructed sidewalks, protect pedestrians, and make traffic flow more smoothly. The operation, welcomed by some road users, should also help preserve the aesthetics of cities and reduce the risk of accidents on major arteries.
Safety, traffic flow, and sanitation in focus
The authorities note that this ban addresses multiple issues. From a safety standpoint, these rudimentary vehicles, often unregulated and poorly equipped, put pedestrians and cyclists at real risk, especially in high-traffic areas.
In terms of mobility, their presence slows traffic, creates bottlenecks, and disrupts the efficiency of public and private transport. Finally, some of these vehicles carrying goods or waste contribute to the deterioration of hygiene and public sanitation.
The Republican Police is therefore calling on the public to support this initiative, which it describes as « beneficial for the safety and living environment of city residents ». For the authorities, modernizing urban infrastructure also requires strict regulation of traffic.
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