Traffic congestion as schools reopen is not a new thing. This had been a regular day-to-day event pre-Covid-19 and people were used to it and carrying on with it with no complaints. How can we solve Bahrain’s traffic congestion now that schools have reopened? It is necessary to have traffic management signals that help in organising the flow of traffic on the roads, especially now that schools have reopened. Please find the below points: You can’t solve Bahrain’s traffic congestion completely but can get a step forward by installing a signal timer at all signals. Introduce a number plate coding scheme. For example, all cars with the last number of 1 would not be allowed to be out on a Sunday. Rule breakers would face fines. As we all know, many local families have more than one car, if they are all out using their cars there will be additional traffic.
The two-year pandemic period has changed people’s lifestyle as they got used to lesser traffic, not only because schools were shut but also because there were fewer cars on the road as 50 per cent of people worked from home.
Many only went out only for essentials and avoided travelling for unnecessary reasons which made the roads a free place to drive.
Now that work and schools have resumed in full swing more traffic is to be expected.
People have to set out on journeys expecting congestion.
A change in people’s tolerance level has led them to complain as they are not prepared to wait a few minutes.
Congestion is not due to school buses but because of parents dropping their wards in their own cars.
Schools could opt for a compulsory school bus for all students. A school bus could carry 50 students and could avoid about 40 to 50 cars on road.
A few hundred school buses could definitely reduce a few thousand cars on the road which could ease the congestion issue.
Getting 25pc on a work-from-home schedule for non-essential staff on rotational shifts could further reduce the number of cars on roads during peak times.
Meanwhile, mentally preparing to wait when setting out during peak hours will help relieve congestion stress and make roads a better and safer place to drive for oneself and fellow users.
Shyam Shankar Maharaja
***
1. Parents should be urged to use the school transport system or shared private transport. Special incentives supported by the government for this scheme could offset increase in costs. The incentive will be balanced in the time/money saved due to avoidance of congestion.
2. Newer schools coming up should be set up away from the city centre.
3. Recommend schools to have a blended learning approach. Four day online, one day offline. Each school can have a different day of the week allotted as their offline day.
4. School hours should be moved a bit. Start later at 8am instead of 7.30am during a few months, eg winter from October to February.
5. Introduction of afternoon school shifts for schools.
6. Long-term: New flyovers plus metro linked to school areas to urge use of public transport.
7. Community should think about carpooling. Students living in the same compound can use a car sharing programme with parents as part of their social responsibility to this issue.
8. Reward programme to schools for coming up with unique ways to manage this issue. Senior students of schools to take part in a competition for idea generation.
9. App to be launched to track use of shared solutions annually and then incentives/rewards to be given to students, parents, transport companies, schools, etc.
Dr John Mathew
Traffic congestion happens when a road has too many cars on it at once. Simultaneously, the same timings for coming and going to schools. If the road doesn’t have space for all of the vehicles, people have to drive slower and closer to fit in more cars.
Perhaps changing the school timings – going home at 2pm, 2.30pm or 3pm – the time interval of 30 to 45 minutes could minimise the pressure of the traffic. But the best solutions are to improve and widen roads and have that metro rail train up-and-running for the future development of Bahrain.
Maribeth Mendoza
***
1. Encourage parents to use the school bus system, instead of using private/own vehicles.
2. Separate access points for school staff and students/school staff must reach the school at least 30 minutes earlier than students.
3. Heavy trucks should not be allowed on the roads during school times.
4. Issue a separate parking space for private vehicles/currently they are picking from the main gate and making the roads crowded.
Prasanth
***
Benefits of this :
People will come to know, in how many seconds, when signals will be opened and will be ready.
As I observed, what is happening in our Bahrain is when the signal lights turns red , everyone starts using their mobile phone and they remain unaware until the vehicle behind honks that the signal has turned green.
Installing traffic lights timers would ensure drivers are ready to go.
Akash kotian
***
And, some of the main traffic lights are taking time in changing. They could be adjusted.
Also, change the timings for trucks being allowed on the main highways until after 8am when school buses and parents have done dropping off the students.
And, in addition, crowded areas should not allow double parking and there also needs to be action taken against people parking in places where it’s not allowed.
Cristine
&uuid=(email))