MADINAH — The Madinah Development Authority recently launched a public transport project with 28 buses that ply between five main locations in the city and the Prophet's Mosque. The time of operation is from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. daily. The decision to launch the project came after the success of the service during Ramadan over the last four years. According to information obtained by Al-Madinah daily, the new contract for the service will see the addition of a number of stations, in addition to waiting stations distributed in various locations where demand from visitors and residents is high. The project comes as part of a public transport network that has been successfully tested during Ramadan over the past four years with some 500,000 worshipers using the service to reach the Prophet's Mosque. Government agencies were keen on developing the idea of the project to increase awareness among the people of Madinah on the importance of using public transport in an attempt reduce traffic congestion in the city. The buses will have sophisticated features, including carbon emission specifications to protect the environment from pollution. In addition, the buses will have distinctive colors and will be accessible to people with special needs and the elderly. The next phase of the project will witness the addition of waiting sheds inside many neighborhoods of Madinah. Thirty shaded waiting sheds have already been built at vital locations on King Abdullah Ring Road. The project's contract is flexible, allowing for the expansion and addition of new lines, new buses and new stations. It is expected that the public transportation project will be completed with all its stages in the next four years.
