According to the Information and eGovernment Authority, Bahrain imported 19,402 vehicles during the first half of this year, compared to 17,782 vehicles last year!
The ‘Focus 2 Move’ website, which specialises in global car statistics, reported that the new vehicle market in the kingdom maintained a positive trend during May and June this year, indicating that sales of new vehicles in the first half of this year amounted to 14,011.
No doubt these numbers are very large, even frightening, given the geographical area and the capacity of the kingdom’s streets!
Bahrain has witnessed a steady increase in the number of vehicles in recent years, posing a major challenge to the country’s infrastructure. This increase is mainly because of population growth, economic prosperity and high levels of per capita income, in addition to the heavy reliance on cars as a primary means of transportation.
However, the result of this increase is heavy road congestion which is no longer limited to urban areas such as Manama and Muharraq, but has spread to all cities and villages. This has resulted in delays in transportation and an increase in the time taken to reach different destinations, thereby affecting the daily productivity of citizens and residents alike.
The current infrastructure is unable to accommodate this rapid growth. Many roads are not designed to handle such high density of vehicles, which leads to their faster wear and tear and the emergence of problems during periodic maintenance. Public transportation networks are still not developed enough to relieve pressure on the roads, which increases people’s reliance on cars.
Bahrain needs comprehensive strategies to develop its infrastructure, including expanding and improving the road network. Removing roundabouts and replacing them with traffic lights has not helped solve the traffic congestion problem; it would have been better to build bridges or tunnels. Despite its efforts, the Works Ministry is very slow in implementing strategic plans and this does not meet the expectations of the people.
It is also necessary to enhance public transportation and promote their use. Alternative solutions can also be considered, such as developing intelligent transportation systems, which help manage traffic more effectively.
Also worth considering is a shift towards sustainable transportation, such as electric cars and bicycles, by providing the necessary infrastructure to support these. Develop legislation to determine the expected life of vehicles; dilapidated vehicles also take a heavy toll on the roads.
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