Al-Yaum

The branch manager of the Ministry of Transportation in the Eastern Province, Ahmad Al-Ghamdi, has updated the media about the plan to introduce toll charges on the Kingdom’s roads. He stated recently that the matter of toll fees is being looked into and that all of the money that is collected in tolls will be spent on road maintenance.

Because I am a good citizen and pay my bills, I see no problem in being charged for the use of some roads. However, once we have paid, we should demand our rights as drivers. Roads must be kept at the highest level of maintenance. The money that we pay in tolls must be used for road maintenance in addition to the money that the Kingdom sets aside each year for the development of the nation’s road network.

Unfortunately, roads are currently not being well maintained. The maintenance of roads in the Eastern Province, such as in Jubail, is not at the same standard as those in other countries of the world. Indeed there are roads that are in desperate need of new maintenance.

The decision to use the funds that will be collected from tolls to maintain roads is acceptable as long as it does not end up like the millions and billions that have been specified for developing and maintaining some roads in the past.

Those in charge of road maintenance must be on the same aspirational level as the Emir of the region who has always worked to make the Eastern Province a model with its infrastructure and services geared to the needs of both citizens and visitors.

Twitter: @ma_alosaimi