Shoura panel calls for effective transport system

RIYADH: A Shoura Council panel on Tuesday has called on the Ministry of Transport to set up an effective transport system to link projects of the Ministry of Housing with all types of transportation of nearby urban areas.
Shoura Council as members listened to recommendations contained in the report presented by the Committee of Transport, Telecom and Information Technology, based on the annual report of the Ministry of Transport.
One panel member asked the Ministry of Transport to bridge the regulatory gap in the work of smart transport applications in coordination with the Ministry of Interior.
Another member attributed delay of the ministry’s projects to the absence of sufficient studies and proposed the establishment of a Saudi company to run taxicabs for Saudis with special standards, whether related to drivers or to vehicles.
One member said the projects of the ministry lack adequate quality, while another member said poorly designed transport networks have caused accidents, which were not only attributed to violations committed by motorists.
Earlier, Shoura members listened to a report presented by the Committee of Islamic and Judiciary Affairs, based on the annual report of the General Presidency of the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vices (Haia).
In its recommendations, the committee asked the Haia to coordinate with other government agencies for cooperation in the spread of virtue in the community. It also urged Haia to document experiences and skills to act as a reference and means for its development.
A female member asked the Haia to diversify experiences and take into consideration other forms of vices such as bribery. Likewise, another female member called for employment of women in Haia’s work. Other members also called for expansion of training for Haia staff.