Riyadh: School hours change under investigation…

To relieve traffic congestion in Riyadh, the General Traffic Department is looking into changing school and university hours and encouraging more “remote” work in some government agencies.

According to Department spokesman Mansour Al-Shakra, the Traffic and Proposed Operational Solutions workshop discussed the challenges of traffic density on Riyadh roads on Sunday.

He expected the workshop to produce recommendations to improve traffic safety and ensure a smooth flow of traffic on the roads.

“One of the workshop’s most prominent axes is the development of an operational model for highways, the re-study of traffic light mechanisms, and the support of the possibility of working remotely for some companies, institutions, and government agencies.”

“In addition to changing the timing of some schools and universities, and pursuing many other possible solutions,” he added.

According to recent official statistics, the capital city’s roads see 16 million trips per day.

Private cars account for over 89 percent of all trips, while public transportation accounts for only 2 percent of all daily trips.

Riyadh currently has a population of over 7.5 million people, with the government aiming to double the city’s population to nearly 15 million by 2030.

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