Kuwait plans to transfer the administration, planning and operations of all land-based transportation from the Ministry of Communications (MOC) to the Public Authority for Roads and Land Transport (PART).

This includes the under-study national rail road and metro projects, in addition to road networks and buses, according to a source familiar with the transition process. ”Kuwait is essentially looking at Dubai’s Roads & Transport Authority [RTA] model [to be adopted by PART],” the source tells MEED.

MOC, however, will retain control of the rest of the country’s transport sector, including maritime and logistics.

Formed in 2014, PART has already initiated discussions with the RTA, which briefed a Kuwaiti delegation headed by PART chairman Abdulatif al-Dakheel in October 2015.

During the meeting, the RTA presented its organisational structure, strategy, roads and transport schemes and licensing systems, among others.

On 8 June, Al-Dakheel said PART is actively engaged in looking for a lasting solution to Kuwait’s persistent road traffic problem. Measures being considered to address this issue include the planned introduction of toll fees for certain roads as well as ensuring trucks comply with road capacity limits.

PART is also working closely with Kuwait Municipality to monitor traffic flow on all roads from the city centre to the 6th Ring Road.

Kuwait has one of the most active roads sectors across the GCC, with an estimated $10bn-worth of schemes under construction. A further $3.2bn of projects are undergoing bidder prequalification and nearly $5bn are in the early study and design phases.