The Council of Ministers yesterday decided to implement a massive public transport system for major cities in the Kingdom to streamline vehicular traffic, ease public transport and boost development. The project will be first implemented in Riyadh. The transport system in the capital, including buses and trains, will be completed in four years. The decision comes in the wake of the Kingdom's move to reduce the number of vehicles on the road. The Cabinet, chaired by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, set up a high-level committee under the chairmanship of Riyadh governor to supervise the project's implementation. "The committee can make use of the expertise of specialized international companies and its chairman has to present progress reports of work every three months," Culture and Information Minister Abdul Aziz Khoja said after the Cabinet meeting. The Cabinet also agreed to implement public transport projects in other major cities after completing studies on network designs, Khoja said, adding that the government would bear the cost of projects. The Cabinet instructed the traffic department as well as the municipal and transport ministries to take necessary measures to encourage people to use public transport systems and reduce the use of private vehicles. "The new system will not only reduce traffic congestion and air pollution but also ensure judicious utilization of petrol," the Cabinet said and urged coordination among the traffic department and municipal and transport ministries for town and transport planning, as Arab News stated. Transport Minister Jabara Al-Seraisry thanked King Abdullah and Crown Prince Naif for approving the public transport system, saying it would reduce overcrowding in cities and ensure smooth traffic flow.
