JEDDAH, 9 September 2006 — More than six million boys and girls head back to school today across the Kingdom after their two-month summer break.
And with the school year will come the traffic gridlock that ensues every morning and afternoon. This logjam is particularly problematic during the first days of school as last-minute shoppers crowd stationery merchants and parents rush to enroll their kids.
Hassan Al-Harbi, a father of three, said that the only answer to the traffic jam is to build more bridges and tunnels.
Sultan Al-Tayeb said he blames sewage and water trucks at inopportune times, and urged authorities to designate “blackout” times where large vehicles cannot operate and crowd streets. “The traffic police should enforce the law to stop them from driving during peak hours,” he said.
As with years past, police will be extra vigilant during the first days of school in order to help mitigate traffic congestion, especially around schools.
“Police should pay more attention to the afternoon times when students are released from schools,” said Um Badr.
She said that many elementary school students swarm the streets putting their lives and the lives of drivers in danger.
Um Badr urged police to pay more attention to this problem and educate children and their parents to stay inside school until their parents arrive to pick them up.
