The Government of the Republic of Mozambique received a credit from the International Development Association (IDA) for the purposes of improving the transport infrastructure of Mozambique and strengthening the institutional capacity of the road sub-sector and, through the ANE, applied a part of this credit to appoint Africon Limited under the Road and Bridge Maintenance and Management Programme to execute the Heavy Vehicle Overloading Study.

Volume 1 of this report deals with the findings and conclusions of the document reviews and field surveys conducted in the initial stages of the project and includes a chapter reporting on the analysis of some of the review and survey results.Volume 2 of the report outlines the proposed Overload Control Strategy which is explained through final recommendations based on the conclusions contained in Volume 1, the proposed Implementation Programme and proposed Implementation Budget.The Final report will contain work plans to implement these recommendations.

The project scope firstly entailed the review of the legislative environment regulating overload control in Mozambique as well as the status quo of legislation pertaining to the privatising of weighbridge operations and maintenance.An axle load survey was conducted that included traffic surveys and was reported on in the preceding Axle Load Survey Report.This report contains a summary of the findings of this survey.All existing and proposed weighbridges / sites were visited and information regarding layout, equipment and the infrastructure in general was collected and interpreted.Simultaneously the weighbridge personnel were interviewed with the aim of determining the operational procedures, constraints and challenges.The manpower capacity and capability was assessed and the provincial officials were interviewed to assess the state of overload control from a people perspective.

It was found that the Mozambican legislation is outdated and not compatible with its neighbouring countries.Current legislation does not support privatisation of weighbridges or their operation.The results of the axle load studies indicate that the current overload control operations have very little to no effect on overloading in the country.Overloading is therefore rife and the damage to the Mozambican road network is excessive.Traffic levels are reasonably low in the rural areas but increase to capacity near the larger centres.Heavy vehicle traffic is concentrated on a number of freight corridors making effective overload control feasible.The ANE currently has 11 existing weighbridges, of which approximately seven are in use. Two of the above 11 are not functional but are currently being repaired.An additional three new weighbridges are under construction and another five are proposed.These weighbridges are spread over the entire country except for the Niassa province which has no existing or proposed weighbridge.Weighbridges are mostly equipped with outdated mechanical scales but there are a few newly constructed facilities with up to date equipment.

Currently overloading control law enforcement operations are carried out by ANE staff. Staff have a variety of capabilities but somewhat limited and not always the necessary authority enabling them to carry out their tasks.There is a serious lack of proper management, maintenance and supervision.Overload control is ineffective as currently conducted and in serious need of overhaul.

Volume 2 of the report contains the programme, budgets and work plans.