The Central Municipal Council (CMC) has forwarded a recommendation to the Traffic Department at the Ministry of Interior to change the Old Airport commercial street into a one-way road from west to east.
The reason is that is it is one of the busiest streets that regularly witnesses traffic jams. CMC also urged the Ministry of Municipality and Environment to reconsider the policy of granting licenses for car wash outlets in the street. The recommendations were based on a complaint made by a resident about the traffic problem in the street and presence of too many car wash facilities. He said in his complaint that changing the street to single direction will ease traffic flow and will not affect motorists because the street has four entries and exits which will enable drivers to return to the road.
The resident also said there are five car wash facilities in the street and vehicles waiting their turn or coming out are hindering traffic flow in the street and preventing access to the neighboring shops.
The proposal was presented to the Council by member Sheikha bint Yusuf Al Jefairi, representative of constituency No 8 and the resident who raised the issue attended the discussion and explained his proposal. On the other hand the Council discussed a proposal made by member Hamad bin Khalid Al Kubaisi, representative of the constituency No 3, about some fuel stations that no longer provide their services while the commercial outlets there are still operating. In his suggestion, Al Kubaisi, raised many questions related to reasons led to suspension of services, criteria and standards set for operation of old petrol stations.
The concerned committee at the council received explanations from the Chairman of the Committee for Monitoring Fuel and Storage Stations, Nabil Mohammed Al Buanain about the closure of some stations.
In his response Al Buainain pointed out that the committee is not responsible for shops operating within the petrol station premises, but the committee shutdown stations which do not meet the specifications.
