Kuwait moves to regulate truck traffic and enforce weight limits
First Deputy PM chairs meeting to protect roads from overloaded trucks; tougher fines, stricter controls and dedicated parking facilities under consideration.
First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Fahad Yusuf Saud Al-Sabah chaired a meeting on Wednesday with representatives of relevant government authorities and transport companies to discuss measures to regulate truck traffic and prevent road damage caused by overloaded vehicles.
According to a Ministry of Interior statement, Sheikh Fahad was briefed on a visual presentation highlighting the causes of road deterioration and the impact of excessive truck loads on road infrastructure.
The presentation outlined proposals to minimize damage, including establishing engineering standards for roads and truck lanes capable of accommodating heavy vehicles within legally permitted weight limits. It also reviewed technical requirements and specifications governing trucks and their cargo.
During discussions with cargo transport companies and firms contracted by government entities, Sheikh Fahad stressed the importance of cooperation between authorities and transport operators to protect the country’s road network.
Proposed measures included organizing weighbridge locations, regulating truck movements through weighing stations, monitoring vehicle weights when tractor units are replaced, and identifying designated truck routes, while benefiting from the experiences of other Gulf countries.
The meeting also discussed introducing immediate fines against companies or truck owners whose vehicles are proven to have damaged roads through excessive loading, allowing repair work to begin without waiting for judicial proceedings to conclude.
Participants examined tougher penalties for exceeding permitted weight limits, failing to use designated truck lanes, and neglecting brake and tire maintenance. Proposals also included deporting drivers responsible for serious violations in accordance with applicable regulations and tightening controls on buses operating outside their licensed passenger transport activities.
Sheikh Fahad also reviewed a Public Works Ministry study on establishing truck parking facilities outside residential areas, equipped with accommodation and essential services to ease congestion caused by heavy vehicles.
He raised the possibility of allocating strategically located state-owned plots to private companies to develop multi-storey truck parking facilities.
Representatives of the participating authorities presented their respective action plans and were instructed to begin implementing their assigned measures as soon as possible. Minister of Public Works Dr. Noura Al-Mashaan also attended the meeting.
