RIYADH: There are no plans to impose fees on the roads in Riyadh at the present time, but they could be introduced in the future, according to Saleh Al-Jasser, the minister of transport.

According to Argam, Al-Jassar said a toll could be applied eventually to raise funds for maintenance on the roads.

The ministry has already commenced the “Saudi Road Code” project which aims to raise the quality of roads in the Kingdom.

In addition, the first Riyadh metro lines are projected to launch towards the end of 2022 with the rest of the lines expected to be fully operational before the end 2023, he revealed.

In collaboration with the Public Investment Fund, the national transport strategy also entails plans for a new airport and a new national carrier in Riyadh, he added.

The responsibility for maintaining roads will be separated between the Ministry of Transport and the municipalities in the middle of this year. 

Roads within the urban area will belong to the municipality while the roads outside the urban area will belong to the Ministry of Transport and Logistics, based on an agreement between both parties, the minister revealed.