Motorists see red as signal timers removed

The decision to scrap electronic timers at traffic signals has not gone down well with most residents of Jeddah since many of them believe that they have been coughing up hefty fines as they are tracked by speed cameras.
Electronic timers were set up at traffic signals that have no Saher speeding cameras, but most of them have been replaced with CCTV at traffic signals.
Drivers often stop abruptly at yellow light to avoid incurring penalties, bumping into the vehicles in front of them.
Citizens allege that the timers have been removed deliberately to increase income from fines.
A Saudi driver said: “Timers give us an indication of when the traffic signal will change. Now, we have no way of knowing it, and hence, we can be fined any time, even while taking a green light.”
Arab News tried to contact Brig. Wasl Allah Al-Harbi, Jeddah’s Traffic Department director, but could not reach him.
“I crossed a green light that automatically turned red as I was driving past. The removal of timers has forced many of us to pay fines without actually committing a traffic violation,” said Adel Musa, a Sudanese resident living in Jeddah.
“I do not know why there are some traffic signals that have timers but no cameras. How are drivers expected to slow down when they don’t know when the traffic signal is going to change,” wondered Mohammed Banajah, a Saudi from Jeddah.
The Ministry of Interior is studying locations in various cities and towns to install Saher monitoring cameras, Maj. Gen. Abdul Rahman Al-Muqbil, director general of traffic police, said.
New cameras are being installed at traffic signals in Dammam, Alkhobar and Hail. These high-tech cameras are soon to be installed in other parts of the Kingdom too.