Al-Jasser says no current plans to impose road toll, Riyadh Metro likely to start by year-end

Saleh Al-Jasser, Minister of Transport and Logistic Services

Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Transport and Logistic Services Saleh Al-Jasser said that there is no imminent plans to impose toll on roads, but it can be applied later.

Most countries apply such fees in order to improve the level of quality and maintenance of the roads, he noted.

Al-Jasser expects the first lines of the Riyadh Metro to be operational by the end of 2022, with the remaining lines to be fully operational before the end of next year.

He pointed out that there is a huge new airport in Riyadh with new terminals and runways, indicating that the new carrier is expected to start its first flight in three years.

About the bridge to link the Kingdom with Egypt, Al-Jasser said that there are technical challenges hindering the implementation, where the depths of the sea in this area exceeds 300 meters, in addition to the large number of coral reefs. He said the project is postponed and not cancelled.

Elsewhere, he added that SAR Railway now reaches Jordan and areas close to the Iraqi borders, adding that as Iraq stabilizes and trade between the two countries increases, it will be easy to extend the line at a low cost.