New traffic control system draws mixed response

There has been a mixed response from motorists to the Kingdom's new traffic control system aimed at identifying bottlenecks on Riyadh and Jeddah's highways and main thoroughfares.
The traffic department and the Ministry of Interior’s security aviation department launched the pilot project recently to tackle heavy congestion during morning, afternoon and evening rush-hour periods.
“It's a good project,” said Ben Villa, a motorist. “However, I believe that motorists need to be educated on the basic rules of the road. Honestly, it only gets congested when traffic officials are berating people on the road."
Last month, the United Arab Emirates launched a similar initiative. Maj. Khalid Al-Kay, deputy director of traffic media and guidance at the Sharjah Police department, said helicopters would survey the city’s roads, look for traffic jams and take immediate action to facilitate the movement of vehicles, according to a report in a daily newspaper.
The report said that officers in the air would identify a problem area and then inform patrols on the ground to sort out the situation.
“In medium and large metropolitan areas in Jeddah and Riyadh, I agree it is high time we have helicopters fly over accident scenes and other areas of high traffic volume,” said Vishal Pratnacheri, a Dubai-based traffic expert and motorist in Riyadh. “This data collection method is very efficient and helps radio and TV stations provide up-to-the-minute, live reports on traffic conditions.”
Pratnacheri said the current Saher traffic control system has also helped to improve conditions on the country's roads.
Nismy Hussain, a motorist in Jeddah, believes the initiative will not have a major effect on traffic conditions. "There are many reckless drivers in the Kingdom. Many drive within the speed limit, but carelessly. It is the police on the ground that can control these situations and ease congestion, not people on helicopters.”
Hussain said the best way to tackle congestion is to improve the Saher system. “Instead of investing in helicopters, they should invest more on the current traffic cameras and a better radar system.”
“The air control system can only be effective in trying to ease congestion on the roads if they are willing to divert cars to streets where there is less traffic,” said Hussain.
He said that Madinah Road that he uses to go to work is always clogged with cars. “There is nothing the traffic police can do to ease it, except to make the road bigger.”
“Of course it's a good move,” said Khalid Abdullah, a Saudi motorist. “But I believe Saher is enough for now. Why do we need another system when Saher has already succeeded in reducing traffic violations and accidents?”