Stricter rules for restaurant delivery riders were approved by Parliament yesterday after more than 4,000 traffic breaches were logged by November 2023, with reckless riding and food hygiene concerns sparking a tougher stance. The push, put forward by MP Maryam Saleh Al Dhaen, aims to rein in the growing disregard for road rules among riders while ensuring food transport boxes meet hygiene standards. A joint committee made up of members from the Foreign Affairs, Defence and National Security Committee and the Services Committee backed the plan, calling it necessary for public well-being. Concerns have been piling up over risky behaviour, with riders weaving through footpaths and dodging traffic signals. “These shortcuts put pedestrians and other road users in danger. We need stronger enforcement to put a stop to it,” she added. Al Dhaen pointed to Interior Ministry figures showing a steady rise in violations: 2,378 in 2020, climbing to 3,227 in 2021 and 3,932 in 2022. By November 2023, the tally had hit 4,188 despite stepped-up policing. “The ministry has made it clear it won’t turn a blind eye to this,” she said, adding that 364 motorcycles had been impounded for serious breaches. The crackdown also tackles food safety, with […]