Editing Transport in Saudi Arabia (section)

=== History and overview ===
In 1921, [[King Abdulaziz]] introduced the first car in Saudi Arabia.<ref name="Al-Harby"/> However, by the time the Kingdom was established in 1932, there were still less than {{convert|30|miles|km}} of paved roadways in the country.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.saudiembassy.net/transportation-communication#:~:text=At%20the%20time%20of%20the,air%2C%20marine%20and%20public%20transport. |title=Transportation & Communication |website= saudiembassy.net|publisher=[[Embassy of Saudi Arabia, Washington, D.C.]] |access-date=October 9, 2023 }}</ref> Cars eventually supplanted camels as the main mode of transport in the Kingdom in the 1950s, with a major uptick in car ownership occurring in the 1970s.<ref name ="Al-Harby">{{cite web |url= https://english.alarabiya.net/amp/variety/2018/02/13/When-the-first-car-was-introduced-to-Saudi-Arabia-98-years-ago|title=When the first car was introduced to Saudi Arabia 98 years ago |last=Al-Harby |first=Mohamed |date=February 13, 2018 |website= english.alarabiya.net|publisher= [[Al Arabiya English]]|access-date= October 9, 2023}}</ref> The roads of Saudi Arabia gradually became the defining feature of the kingdom's transport system as the main population centres are not only scattered all over the country but also because they faced a major challenge from the [[Geography of Saudi Arabia|geography of the country]] itself; separated by [[Arabian Desert|deserts]], [[valley]]s and [[mountain]]s, among other [[landform]]s. Due to this, a reliable road network became more important and essential than other [[Mode of transport|modes of transport]] in the kingdom.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Aldagheiri|first=M.|title=The role of transport roads network in the economic development in Saudi Arabia|url=https://asc.qu.edu.sa/files/shares/The%20role%20of%20transport%20roads%20network.pdf|website=Qassim University College of Arabic and Sociology|access-date=2020-08-10|archive-date=2020-07-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725180739/https://asc.qu.edu.sa/files/shares/The%20role%20of%20transport%20roads%20network.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Saudi Arabia had encouraged road transport in the past by maintaining one of the lowest petrol prices in the world. Despite raising prices in 2018,<ref>{{Cite news|title=Saudi Arabia hikes fuel price|work=[[Saudi Gazette]]|url=http://saudigazette.com.sa/article/525180/SAUDI-ARABIA/Saudi-Arabia-hikes-fuel-price}}</ref> it is worth noting that due to limited alternative passenger transport options in the country, the gasoline fuel demand is relatively inelastic to its prices;<ref>{{Cite journal|author=Algunaibet, Ibrahim, Walid Matar|date=2017|title=The responsiveness of fuel demand to gasoline price change in passenger transport: a case study of Saudi Arabia|journal=Energy Efficiency |volume=11 |issue=6 |pages=1341–1358 |doi=10.1007/s12053-018-9628-6}}</ref> light-duty vehicles dominate the passenger transport landscape. Buses and other public transport options are limited, and walking or bicycles are hindered by the urban landscapes and harsh weather in most regions of the country.

The development of the Saudi road network can be divided into two major phases; i.e. the expansion of the modern road network from 1938 to 1970, preceding the initial development plans conceived by the [[Ministry of Transport (Saudi Arabia)|Ministry of Transport]], and the development and expansion after the introduction of the plans (after 1970). The two stages, pre-national planning and postnational planning, relate to the historical circumstances of the economic, political and social demands of the kingdom. The activity during the second stage greatly exceeds that during the first owing to the existence of coordinated plans, high investment and concentration of effort.<ref name=":0" />