The billionaire grandson of the first Saudi King has called for an end to the country's ban on women driving, saying it is "high time" that women drive.

Prince Alwaleed bin Talal tweeted: "Stop the debate. Time for women to drive," linking to a public statement laying out economic and social arguments for ending the ban.

In the statement, he said: "Preventing a woman from driving a car is today an issue of rights similar to the one that forbade her from receiving an education or having an independent identity.

"They are all unjust acts by a traditional society, far more restrictive than what is lawfully allowed by the precepts of religion.

"Such a ban on driving is fundamentally an infringement on a woman's rights, particularly as it continues to exist after she had won her right to an education and a salaried employment."

Alwaleed added that it "undermines the productivity of the workforce" since public transport is not viable, and men need to transport their wives around.

It also costs families more, he argues, since women are reliant on "foreign drivers" to take them to their errands.

He does, however, suggest that there be conditions and restrictions on granting women driving licenses:

Alwaleed is an outspoken member of the Saudi royal family who does not hold a political post, but he is the chair of Kingdom Holding Co, an investment company whose interests include Lyft and Mövenpick Hotels.

He is a longtime supporter of women's rights in the Middle Eastern kingdom, which has some of the severest restrictions on women and is the only country in the world where women cannot drive.