Owners and drivers of heavy goods vehicles have gone on strike Friday until their demands are met.

The strikers are demanding a five year extension to the delay handed down by the government before authorities upgrade the security specifications of the owners' lorries.

The government is currently studying the case in light of a newly issued law.

They point out that heavy goods vehicles are still on the roads of Europe and the US. Moreover, they maintain that scientific research shows that their vehicles are not the primary cause of road traffic accidents.

Strikers demand a common law which would determine itineraries for heavy transport and fix workers' wages throughout the country.

They are also asking for the establishment of a training centre for drivers, abolishing the six year waiting period for the issuance of first degree driving licenses and allowing any citizen who passes the Interior Minister driving test to obtain a license.

Strikers have agreed to authorise Mustafa El-Nuehi and Mohamed Abdel Moniem, to take part in the negotiation process with the concerned parties.

There are around 70,000 heavy goods vehicles in Egypt, transporting more than 400 million tonnes annually.