A number of urban planning and traffic engineering specialists have warned of the growing phenomenon of encroachment on sidewalks and public property in the city of Jeddah, where some owners of shops and residential homes are turning spaces designated for pedestrians and public streets into private parking spaces for their cars, in clear violation of municipal and traffic regulations.
Forms of infringement on public rights
These violations take many forms, marring the city's urban landscape. Violators install iron chains, concrete barriers, plastic cones, and sometimes even unofficial "No Parking" signs to reserve and monopolize public street space in front of their properties for themselves or their clients. This isn't limited to blocking the roadway; it extends to parking vehicles on paved sidewalks, forcing pedestrians to walk in the middle of the road amidst speeding cars.
Conflict with quality of life and humanizing cities programs
These warnings come at a time when Saudi Arabia is undergoing significant development as part of its Vision 2030, specifically the Quality of Life Program, which aims to improve the lifestyle of individuals and families. These individual behaviors directly contradict the "Humanizing Cities" initiatives adopted by the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing, which aim to make cities more human-friendly by providing safe pedestrian walkways, encouraging walking, and reducing reliance on vehicles for short trips.
Risks and their impact on public safety
Experts point out that sidewalk encroachment poses a serious threat to public safety, especially for vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, and people with disabilities who use wheelchairs. When a sidewalk is blocked by a parked vehicle, these individuals are forced to walk in the roadway, exposing them to the risk of being hit by vehicles. Furthermore, this haphazard encroachment contributes to increased traffic congestion in residential areas and reduces the capacity of the streets.
Municipal efforts and combating visual pollution
Officially, the Jeddah Municipality and its sub-municipalities continue their efforts to monitor these violations as part of their ongoing campaigns to address visual pollution. Saudi regulations consider sidewalks and streets public property that cannot be encroached upon or used for private purposes without official permits. Experts are calling for increased monitoring and the enforcement of legally mandated fines against violators to ensure order is restored to the streets, emphasizing that public awareness is the cornerstone of eliminating this negative phenomenon.
