Residents of Çil Agha call for stricter control of motorcycles

As part of efforts to enhance traffic safety and regulate road movement, the General Directorate of Traffic and the Internal Security Forces in Hasakah province issued a decision banning motorcycles of all types from circulating within the province’s administrative boundaries starting July 1, 2026.

However, the decision sparked widespread objections from workers and low-income residents who rely on motorcycles as their primary means of transportation to reach their workplaces and earn a living. This prompted the directorate to reconsider the decision and introduce amendments allowing motorcycles to be used only during daytime hours and in designated areas away from city centers and markets.

The amendment has affected the city of Çil Agha, where motorcycle traffic has shifted into residential neighborhoods. This has led to growing complaints from residents over some teenagers riding motorcycles at high speeds, in addition to the noise generated by their engines, particularly during the evening and nighttime hours.

During a field tour conducted by ANHA agency in the city, several residents said motorcycle traffic inside neighborhoods had become a constant source of concern. They called on the relevant authorities to regulate motorcycle use and tighten monitoring of violators while ensuring the safety of residents without depriving law-abiding motorcycle owners of using their vehicles.

In this context, resident Sherwan Safo said excessive speeding by some motorcycle riders, most of whom are teenagers, has become a real danger inside residential neighborhoods. He explained that residents have become reluctant to allow their children to play outside their homes as they did in the past, fearing that they could be hit by motorcycles as a result of reckless driving and failure to observe appropriate speeds in residential areas.

He added that the problem is not limited to speeding but also includes the loud noise produced by some motorcycles, particularly at night, depriving residents of peace and affecting their daily comfort. He called for an end to such behavior, which has become a near-daily occurrence.

For her part, resident Zainab Ibrahim called on the Traffic Directorate to increase patrols inside neighborhoods, particularly during the evening and nighttime hours when motorcycle traffic increases. She stressed the need to hold accountable anyone who fails to comply with traffic laws and public safety regulations.

She added that regulating motorcycle traffic does not mean banning motorcycles altogether, but rather controlling their use through clear regulations requiring drivers to observe designated speed limits inside neighborhoods, prohibiting reckless driving and taking legal action against anyone who endangers residents’ lives or causes disturbances.

Responding to residents’ demands, Saif al-Din Ibrahim, an administrator at the Traffic Center in Çil Agha, explained that the General Directorate of Traffic initially decided to ban motorcycles from circulating in order to enhance traffic safety, regulate road movement and protect residents. However, the decision faced objections from workers and low-income residents who depend on motorcycles for their daily transportation.

He added that the directorate considered these objections and reconsidered the decision, allowing motorcycles to use secondary roads when necessary while maintaining the ban on public roads. He stressed that this exception does not mean violations are permitted, noting that allowing minors to ride motorcycles, reckless driving and creating excessive noise are all violations punishable by law.

He pointed out that Traffic Directorate patrols, in cooperation with the Internal Security Forces, conduct continuous monitoring campaigns, particularly at night, to control violations and take legal action against offenders. However, he acknowledged that covering all neighborhoods on a permanent basis is difficult due to limited resources.

Saif al-Din Ibrahim explained that addressing the issue cannot rely solely on the efforts of traffic authorities. He called on residents to cooperate by immediately reporting violations so that patrols can reach locations where disturbances are occurring.

He also called on the communes to play a greater role in conveying residents’ complaints to the Traffic Center, stressing that the directorate will increase patrols in neighborhoods from which repeated complaints are received. He emphasized that the success of any plan to regulate motorcycle traffic depends on cooperation between residents and the relevant authorities.

He concluded by stressing that returning to a complete ban on motorcycles inside neighborhoods would not be an appropriate solution, as it would negatively affect workers and low-income residents who rely on motorcycles for their daily work. He emphasized that the solution lies in regulating their use, enforcing the law against violators and strengthening cooperation among traffic authorities, residents and communes in order to reduce disturbances and protect public safety.

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ANHA