Heavy trucks told: stay in right-hand lane

TDT | Manama

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A proposal to direct heavy trucks onto outer routes and enforce their use of the righthand lane will be taken up in Parliament on Tuesday. Lawmakers backing the motion say the move is aimed at reducing congestion and speeding up the movement of goods, particularly on routes between Sitra and Khalifa Port.

The motion, submitted by Lulwa Al Rumaihi, Dr Munir Seroor, Hassan Bukhamas, Hanan Fardan, and Dr Mahdi Al Shuwaikh, calls on the government to designate alternative routes for large freight vehicles and strengthen enforcement of lane restrictions.

The Ministry of Interior said existing laws already require trucks to remain in the righthand lane on main and secondary roads. Compliance is monitored by the General Directorate of Traffic and road cameras, and trucks are prohibited from certain roads during morning and evening peak hours.

The Ministry of Works said it had studied the proposal but noted that creating truck-only lanes or new outer roads is challenging due to limited space and the presence of public-service utilities. It added that traffic-safety standards guide road classification, speed limits, and vehicle types, and that trucks have already been kept out of many residential areas in coordination with the General Directorate of Traffic, municipal councils, and the Capital Trustees Board.

The Foreign Affairs, Defence and National Security Committee backed the proposal unanimously, citing public-interest benefits such as fewer jams and accidents, reduced disruption to road users, and faster delivery of goods.

Al Rumaihi said: “Truck–car mixing causes severe congestion, more accidents, and delays in the movement of goods. It has become necessary to tighten oversight and prevent trucks from changing lanes except when turning.”