The Riyadh municipality is putting in place new controls for larger restaurants, banks, clinics, car rental offices, and small shops that will force them to provide sufficient parking spaces at their locations. The municipality will allow a moratorium of two years for these establishments to apply the requirements or change locations.

District officials are also working with the Higher Commission for the Development of Riyadh to study the possibility of halting the issuance of licenses to small kiosks, ATMs, or any building in shopping areas that are located less than 60 meters from the main roads. The municipality announced the new measures during a meeting organized by the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Sunday.

These new requirements aim to address the issue of heavy traffic caused by shops and other businesses, especially those who fail to provide enough parking spaces. Establishments should be built according to specifications established by the municipality, said officials.

According to officials, over 15 new administrative centers are set to open in Riyadh in early 1437AH, including branches of different government departments, such as the traffic department, Civil Defense and new police stations, among other offices.

After Sunday’s announcement, tensions ran high among some small shop owners, but authorities cooled down tempers explaining that the future benefits outweigh the current inconveniences.