Saudi Arabian officials have approved a plan designed to minimise the impact that trucks have on other road users.
The initiative comes amidst heavy truck traffic caused by ongoing construction projects in Makkah. That has had a dramatic impact on other road traffic in the city.
Colonel Salman Al-Jamiei, director of the Makkah Traffic Department, told Arab News that 7000 trucks are making approximately 70,000 journeys a day on the city’s roads.
“Makkah is witnessing the implementation of a number of giant projects, mainly the expansion of the Grand Mosque and the construction of ring roads, in addition to the projects being developed by the private sector,” he explained.
“These activities require an efficient traffic flow, which is why the plan is expected to regulate the entry and exit of trucks through about 20 points that will prevent traffic congestion during peak hours,” he added.
Under the new rules, trucks will be permitted to travel between the hours of 6am and 8am, and from midnight until 2am.
The plan was announced during a meeting of law-enforcement officials and the Makkah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI). Impacted logistics companies were also briefed about the regulations during the meeting.
A series of checkpoints are to be established to prevent trucks from entering or exiting Makkah during prohibited times.
