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Dubai: A toll system will be enforced round-the-clock to ensure smooth traffic flow on Shaikh Zayed Road, said a senior official.
From July this year, motorists using Shaikh Zayed Road and Al Garhoud Bridge will have to pay a road toll. As part of the first phase of the introduction of the toll system in Dubai, the stretch of Shaikh Zayed Road, starting from the Fourth Interchange [near Mall of the Emirates] to Al Garhoud Bridge will be a "toll-controlled area."
"The toll system will be called Salik which in Arabic means clear," said Maitha Obaid Bin Udai, Chief Executive Officer of the Traffic and Roads Agency at the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).
She said Salik has been chosen as the brand name because it reflects the logic behind the toll system, which is to ensure smooth traffic flow.
Motorists crossing Al Garhoud Bridge or entering Shaikh Zayed Road from the Fourth Interchange will be charged Dh4 per entry.
The charge will be in both directions and round-the-clock. Toll gates will be installed at both locations. Also, a motorist who enters from Al Garhoud Bridge and exits from the Fourth Interchange and vice versa, will have to pay at both locations.
Motorists using parts of the roads between the toll gates will not be charged unless they pass under a toll gate.
The RTA has started implementing the toll system following Law No 22, 2006 issued recently by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to charge vehicles a traffic tariff on certain specified areas or roads to ease traffic congestion.
"The main idea of introducing Salik is to reduce congestion and for better traffic management on Shaikh Zayed Road, one of the most crowded highways in the city, and to make motorists use alternate routes and other mode of transportation," said Maitha.
The RTA studies show that traffic on this road will reduce by 25 per cent after introduction of the toll. Currently, around 130,000 vehicles use Shaikh Zayed Road every day and about 8,000 vehicles per hour cross Al Garhoud Bridge during peak hours in both directions.
She said the traffic tariff will be implemented on many other Dubai roads but in phases and over the next few years.
Maitha said the RTA has hired consultants to study roads where the toll system is needed.
Will you use these roads? Do you mind paying the toll? Will it help ease traffic congestion?
Your comments
I am buying a bicycle tomorrow. I hope that is not tolled.
Saumil
Dubai,UAE
Intead of a toll. The authorities should put a new rule that each company should provide free transport facility for all their employees, so that they all will come together instead of using cars.
GNKN
Dubai,UAE
The main traffic problem is vehicles from Sharjah going to Jebel Ali every day. If a town was built for lower income workers on the other side of Jebel Ali with the same rents as Sharjah the traffic would greatly be reduced. If the metro will take two years to build - so could a town.
MM
Dubai,UAE
I think its high time to leave Dubai as life is becoming so expensive day by day without any basis.
Zaman
Dubai,UAE
Its a great idea, it will help lots of people that are already living in that area. I am sure that this does not mean the Roads and Transport Authority will stop building new roads and improving the public transport. "Salik" is one of the ways to improve the traffic in Dubai along with other very beneficial ways that consultants would suggest based on their experience.
Hamad
Dubai,UAE
All this scheme will probably end up doing is shifting the conjestion. Tolls can't work in city centres. Only when there is a viable alternative to driving such as decent public transport, park and ride schemes. London is a great example of how it should be done.
Darren
Abu Dhabi,UAE
I live next to Mall of the Emirates. Does that mean I would have to pay every single time im going out? I usually don't even go out towards Dubai, but next to my area.
Reem
Dubai,UAE
The core problem is has to do with the planning capacity in Dubai. The expected 25% decrease in traffic, will never be realised, with plans for Dubai population to double in few years to come.
Hani
Dubai,UAE
I don't think its a good idea. It will increase the cost of living for the people living on the sides of Mall of Emirates. Instead of this they should make changes in office timings and school timings.
Sana
Dubai,UAE
There is no harm in putting this toll system, but at the same time you should have an alternative local transport system.
Shaista
Dubai,UAE
Why introduce the toll before the metro comes into operation? Give people a real alternative to using the Shaikh Zayed Road by car.
AJ
Dubai,UAE
I honestly think that if a person is coming into SZR at any given point between Mall Of Emirates and Garhoud Bridge, they should be charged. Only charging at two points will not reduce the flow of traffic in the middle. Drivers will just avoid the toll booths and come onto SZR after the toll booth, thus still congesting the road.
Cesar
Dubai,UAE
Definitely the above said salik will reduce the traffic flow to some extent, but this is not going to solve the complete traffic problem, and because of salik the other neighbouring road traffic will increase.
T.V.
Dubai,UAE
The toll should be at Al Mulla roundabout, rather then at Garhoud. This move would encourge car pooling, especially for vehicles coming in from Sharjah. Which, in my view is one of the major causes of traffic congestion.
Ronald
Dubai,UAE
Smart move but rather incomplete. This will bring Maktoum bridge to a stand still and will create huge traffic on both Al Wasl and Jumeirah Beach Road.
They should have delayed the measure until the Maktoum and floating bridge are ready to handle the additional pressure.
The widened Jumeirah Beach Road did not prove any use in lowering traffic on Al Wasl.
Mark
Dubai,UAE
Do we really have an alternate routes and other modes of transportation available?
It seems more like a revenue generating scheme rather than providing comfort in traffic jams.
Do you think that we have ANY alternate routes avaialable which is free from the traffic jams? What will happen on alternate routes once TOLL is introduced.
WHAT ABOUT PEOPLE LIVING THERE??????
God bless our pockets.
AM
Dubai,UAE
We have this system in Europe as well, but it is mostly on highways outside the cities. I don't think this will work here because the trafic flow will be less on Shaikh Zayed Road but it will be on other interconnecting roads and Maktoum Bridge. Would be better if they make a second level over Shaikh Zayed Road as it is in many countries and the second level to be paid. Still the fee for "Salik" is quite high if you have to pass at least twice a day through Garhoud bridge.
Aneta
Dubai,UAE
I do not mind provided it saves 25 per cent of my travelling time.
Afsal
Dubai,UAE
I believe that there is lot to be done in the public transport system in Dubai. People are encouraged to use the public transport. However, actually there is no public transport for many routes or very poor transport system which might take 1-2 hours extra. We can hardly see public buses on the road.
Manoj
Dubai,UAE
This is not a good way to reduce the traffic load. The better way is to build and introduce new roads.
Kashif
Abu Dhabi,UAE
I don't get the idea behind easing the traffic congestion? Either you have to pay or go to other roads which are congested already. It's an add up to the daily suffering.
Pierre
Sharjah,UAE
I will still use these roads when I need to, but so will most people. All this will do is make people pay more money and cause congestion at the toll gates. Dubai does not have alternatives to the car.
Peter
Abu Dhabi,UAE
There will a toll gate at Garhoud bridge, but none at Maktoum bridge. So, obviously the motorists coming from Sharjah side will enter Deira road or City center road and use the Maktoum bridge, to avoid toll gate. Well, if the toll gate was somewhere in the road which coming from Al Mulla Plaza to Deira-Garhoud (opposite the airport), then we can expect motorist coing from Sharjah avoiding this route and thus reduce the traffic congestion Shaikh Zayed Road.
Shibu
Dubai,UAE
Can this really work or will the problem just move elsewhere? Okay a reduction of 25 per cent, so 130,000 vehicles plus will find alternate routes thus clogging alternate roads, more likely the already very busy Khaill and Emirates roads! Not a good solution until the entire transportation system, including public transport is improved.
Andy
Dubai,UAE
Yes I am willing to pay Dh100 every time I come to Dubai. Now I hate coming to Dubai because of the traffic.
Jabir
Abu Dhabi,UAE
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