Causeway ordeal for truck drivers

Manama, September 19, 2012

Scores of trucks heading to Saudi Arabia were stranded yesterday at the King Fahad Causeway for several hours as they were not allowed to proceed.

Sources said they had been waiting in Janabiya when word came that all of them would be allowed in. Bahrain's traffic police officers escorted the vehicles to the crossing, but were reportedly told the Saudi customs would not allow any vehicle in after 5pm.

All the trucks were then escorted back to Janabiya. This affected traffic flow for several hours and caused severe congestion along the highway.

Our sister newspaper, the Gulf Daily News, had reported earlier that trucks had been waiting for several days to cross into Saudi Arabia, but the situation eased last week when many transporters stopped sending trucks until the rush cleared.

Transporters had then said they feared the problem would return. – TradeArabia News Service

Tags: Saudi Arabia | Bahrain | King Fahad Causeway | Manama |