Sierra Leone enforce ban on RHD vehicles

[Twiggy553]

On 1st January Sierra Leone implemented a ban on right hand drive vehicles.

Sierra Leone to enforce ban on right hand-drive vehicles - Africa - News - StarAfrica.com

Have any overlanders tried to cross Sierra Leone in a RHD vehicle this year?

We're on our way there and concerned we may not be permitted to enter.

[straggler]

Isn't this just for importing a vehicle? I think just transiting through a country is a different thing entirely.

[Toyark]

Hello Twiggy and welcome to Horizons.
I am a little confused by your post!
Why your concern? You already know that their Law has changed; being turned away is a risk you take!

Out of curiosity, I telephoned their Embassy - usually the best place for a definitive (**) answer.

They said that tourists with RHD vehicles would be allowed in for up to 3 months from the 1st January 2015 and that they must leave with their vehicles before end of March 2015.
They also said that : Any RHD in the country have this time window to either convert their vehicles or export them.

(**) 'definitive' is a loose term in Africa. Be prepared to possibly be turned away if the border guard is not aware of the 'time window'.
You could get lucky or have to make a detour!
Good luck.

[Twiggy553]

Originally Posted by Bertrand

Hello Twiggy and welcome to Horizons.
I am a little confused by your post!
Why your concern? You already know that their Law has changed; being turned away is a risk you take!

Good luck.

Hi Bertrand, thanks for the welcome and for going to the trouble of calling the embassy.

You're right that it's a risk I take but it helps for planning to have a little information in advance if there is any on offer...

[roamingyak]

"must leave with their vehicles before end of March 2015."

Just to confirm, no RHD even for tourists on a temp import after March 2015?

[Dave The Hat]

From memory RHD are also banned in both Ghana and Nigeria. But they do make exceptions for tourist vehicles on a CDP that is transiting through the country.

We're very much hoping the same will apply to S Leone, esp. as they'll be keen to see tourists return after ebola. I'll let you know what I find out.

[Toyark]

I can only repeat what I was told above. It seems that their wish is to get rid of all RHD vehicles in SL.
Whether this actually materialises on the ground remains to be seen and could well be a totally different story. IMHO, anyone headed there must check the latest info and plan accordingly.

[straggler]

I still think this may only apply to permenant imports. Vehicles transiting through the country should be exempt. They have a similar rule in Senegal - no RHD vehicles can be imported but going through the country is fine.

[Dave The Hat]

I hope so too Straggler. The wording of the new law refers to a ban on the importation OR operation of a RHD vehicle in the country.

Minister of Transportation and Aviation Leonard Balogun Koroma implemented the ban at the beginning of this month, but said it has actually been illegal to drive them for two years in Sierra Leone.

"The road traffic regulation act of 2011 states no vehicle that has its steering apparatus fitted on right-hand side of a vehicle shall be allowed to register or operate on the streets," he noted.

Latest information I could find is here:

[url=http://awoko.org/2015/01/07/sierra-leone-news-ban-on-right-hand-drive-effective/]Sierra Leone News: Ban on right-hand drive effective

[Cam Johnson]

Hi All,
I'm currently working in Sierra Leone and just got off the phone with the General Manager of Toyota Sierra Leone. His educated guess is that overlanders shouldn't have too much of an issue driving through the country. Of course some police might try to wangle some dash out of travelers, but that's the order of the day around here anyway.

Currently any vehicle may be driven around Sierra Leone for 3 months with foreign plates (after paying the required fee) before requiring to be registered and plated in Sierra Leone. Many people go to Conakry to buy cars and drive with Guinea plates for the first 3 months.

Best of luck with your travels.
CJ.

[Twiggy553]

OK so we got in, and no bribes were needed to be paid at all in the process (which is really encouraging), but it wasn't easy.

The ban on RHD drive vehicles has been repealed until September 2015 due to a combination of ebola and the lack of available parts for conversion.

However, we were told at the border that this only applies to cars already inside SL, and the border customs & police were very strict on this point, even for anyone intending to pass through.

The car was impounded in customs and we took a taxi to Freetown in the hope of getting permission for its release.

In the morning we visited the Ministry for Road Safety (DVLA equivalent) and were lucky to find sympathetic ears. We were able to register the vehicle as RHD and were granted a windshield sticker to allow us to drive the car in Sierra Leone until such time as we either convert or export it.

That afternoon we returned to the border and were able to collect the car.

I can't really think of a good way to avoid this process, but it's worth knowing that it is the Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority (SLRSA) on Kissy Road in Freetown that are administering this.

PM me if you need for info.

[Dave The Hat]

Hi Twiggy,

Thanks for the update.

To be clear: were you trying to import your vehicle permanently? Were you using a carnet de passage?

We have been in contact with the S Leone embassy to clarify the situation, and also with a Minister in Sierra Leone who is currently visiting the UK. We have explained the situation with regards tourism and bringing RHD into the country for a short period (ie less than a month). We are hoping for a response within the next 2 weeks. They sounded sympathetic, but we will wait and see.

However, we are a commercial overland company, so they might be more sympathetic.

[Overland Tonka]

Many thanks for the up to date information..

Things just keep getting better and better!!!

This RHD issue is causing us such a headache both in Africa and S America that we are seriously thinking of buying a LHD and kitting it out for the rest of our RTW trip.

Mind you..if we get one in Germany at least we could get our CPD from the ADAC.

We was due to hit Africa this October and was even considering putting that on hold and going to S America first until the question of RHD arose in Chile.

So, its drive around the problem in SL..Hmmm...or get a boat around..or..Put a "For Sale" Ad up..One Toyota in tip top condition RHD.

[Twiggy553]

To be clear: were you trying to import your vehicle permanently?

we don't intend to import permanently, though we would like to keep it here for a few months. Nevertheless you can only buy the 'circulation permit' for temporary import (valid for 3 months) if you clear customs.

Were you using a carnet de passage?

We have a carnet de passage but Sierra Leone don't use it.
Instead you just need a Laissez-Passer which is available from the SL high commission in London or in Guinea (possibly also at the border but tbh I wouldn't risk buying at the border unless you have to).

[moggy 1968]

Originally Posted by straggler

I still think this may only apply to permenant imports. Vehicles transiting through the country should be exempt. They have a similar rule in Senegal - no RHD vehicles can be imported but going through the country is fine.

and Gambia

You really would have thought these countries had bigger fish to fry!!!