Saudi will allow women to ride motorbikes, too

riyadh — Saudi Arabian women will be able to drive trucks and motorcycles, officials have said three months after the kingdom announced a historic decision to end a ban on women driving.

In September, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia, issued a decree saying women will be able to drive from next June as part of an ambitious reform push in the kingdom.

The Saudi General Directorate of Traffic gave details of the new regulations that will follow the lifting of the ban to the Saudi Press Agency late on Friday.

“Yes, we will authorise women to drive motorcycles” as well as trucks, it said, adding that the royal decree stipulates that the law on driving will be “equal” for both men and women.

There will be no special licence plate numbers for female-driven cars, it said.

But women involved in road accidents or who commit traffic violations will be dealt with at special centres that will be established and run by women.

Saudi Arabia was the only

yes, we will authorise women to drive motorcycles” as well as trucks...”

country in the world to impose a ban on women driving.

Its historic decision to allow women to drive from next June has been cheered inside the kingdom and abroad — and comes after decades of resistance from female activists, many of whom were jailed for flouting the ban. —