ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Erbil’s historic city center will be closed to motor vehicle traffic for seven hours on Fridays to ease congestion and accommodate tourists, the traffic directorate announced. “On Fridays, a large number of citizens and tourists visit the center of Erbil city, especially the Sheikhalla bazaar and the fountain park in front of the castle… therefore it was decided that traffic in the city center will be pedestrian-only from 1 pm to 8 pm,” the Erbil traffic directorate stated on Friday. The decision was made due to the overcrowding of pedestrians and vehicles on the streets of the bazaar. This “constantly causes saturation of the street and creates congestion and gives the streets of the bazaar an unattractive appearance,” the directorate added. Erbil’s city center is home to its historic citadel and bazaar. The city, which lacks adequate public transit, has one of the highest levels of air pollution in Iraq. Poor quality petrol is a significant source of toxins in the air.
