To reduce traffic crowding on Dubai roads, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) is creating a plan, which might hinder the issuance of driving licenses to specific work categories. Additionally, the authorities are considering changing vehicle registration fees based on distance covered yearly.
Though the authorities did not specify which work categories won’t be able to get driving licenses, there definitely will be alterations in the registration and licensing frees of vehicles according to their engine, fuel capacity and total distance covered yearly. Additionally, the government will grant incentives for zero-emission cars, adjust licensing of old vehicles, and levy inconsistent insurance as per driver’s vehicle use and accidents caused.
Talking about the plan, Ian Littlefield, training and quality manager at Dubai Driving Center, said, “restricting licenses for certain work categories could have human rights implications.”
“But if this is done based on their requirement for transport such as ensuring that they don’t need their own car due to the provision of excellent high-quality mass transportation services for workers and providing good infrastructures such as leisure facilities shops and places to eat near their accommodation, it (the measure) could work.”
Thomas Edelmann, founder and managing director of RoadSafetyUAE, mentioned: “there is an element of fairness by linking certain fees and regulations to the number of roads and vehicle usage, kilometers driven on the road, infrastructure, and so on.”
“Some measures exist already in other countries, and for sure are fair,” he indicated.
Edelmann clarified that some rules have the ability to lessen or direct traffic – like Salik – “but when we reflect on traffic jams in the UAE these are often linked to misbehavior of motorists which leads to accidents, which in turn leads to traffic jams and congestion.”
He advised persuading people for carpooling or increase the average number passengers per vehicle to reduce traffic crowding on Dubai roads.
Littlefield also urged RTA “to charge larger and more polluting vehicles a fee to enter the city at peak times.”
RTA also recommends changing working hours for office workers and use different times for schools to curb congestion on roads.