Dubai: Motorists will not be charged a toll fee on Al Maktoum Bridge from 10pm to 6am once the two new Salik gates are operational from September 9, Gulf News has learnt.
"There will be no toll charges for passing through Al Maktoum Bridge from 10pm to 6am from Saturday to Thursday and from 10pm to 9am on Fridays," said a senior official in the Traffic Department of the Roads and Transport Authority.
He said the decision aims to facilitate motorists because the alternative route, the Floating Bridge, remains closed at night during these hours.
Two new Salik toll gates have already been installed, one on Al Maktoum Bridge and another between the First and the Second Interchanges on Shaikh Zayed Road. They will be operational from next Tuesday.
Motorists will be charged only once if they pass through two Salik gates, including the new one near the Second Interchange and the existing one at Al Barsha on Shaikh Zayed Road, travelling on one side in one journey.
Installation of the new toll gates comes as part of the second phase of the Salik system to regulate traffic on Dubai's roads.
More to come
An RTA source told Gulf News that more Salik gates will be installed in future but did not specify the locations.
In July 2007 the RTA introduced two Salik toll gates, including one at Al Garhoud Bridge and at Al Barsha (near the Mall of the Emirates) on Shaikh Zayed Road in a bid to ease traffic congestion on the busiest highway in the city. A motorist must pay Dh4 each time he/she passes under the toll gate. However, there is a maximum charge of Dh24 per day for frequent users.
The RTA has said that the new phase of the Salik project comes after a comprehensive study of the first phase and following the opening of the new Al Garhoud Bridge.
The study focused on the traffic jams on Dubai's major roads and the routes that can resolve the issue.
The study also highlighted the success of the first phase in reducing traffic at toll areas by 25 per cent and in lowering the duration of journeys on Shaikh Zayed Road by 50 per cent.
An emphasis on installing new toll gates on Al Maktoum Bridge to reduce congestion there, and decreasing gridlock in Deira were priorities within the study, as well as the benefits of the new Garhoud Bridge and Business Bay Crossing.
The cost broken down
Type of service/ fees:
--All types of vehicles - Dh4
--Tag and subscription fee - Dh50
--Tag replacement fee - Dh50
--Tag cancellation fee - Dh10
--Transfer of tag - Dh50
--Maximum charge: Dh24 per day
List of fines
--Failure to display tag - Dh100
--Repeat of same offence - Dh200
--Third time same offence - Dh400
--Insufficient credit - Dh50
--Manipulation or cheating in tags - Dh10,000
--Delay in paying fines - Dh10
--Use of tariff gates by unauthorised vehicles - Dh100
--An additional fine for non-payment - Dh10 per month
Do you think this will help ease traffic congestion? Or will it just end up extending the rush hour? How will the added toll gates impact your buget? Tell us at letter2editor@gulfnews.com or fill in the form bellow to send your comments.
Your comments
I wonder how RTA came up with such an accurate percentage of reduced traffic. I would rather urge them to visit the locations where the toll gates have been installed to see how long the traffic queues are. There has been no change in traffic situation since the Salik has started. In fact it has gone for worse during peak time
Safdar
Dubai,UAE
Posted: September 04, 2008, 11:55
Salik should be free during non rush hours and fridays so that motorists will not make traffic jams on alternative roots.
Bikramjit
Duabi,UAE
Posted: September 04, 2008, 11:37
By the time all the future toll gates come into existence, people will be using all their salary to pay only the toll and nothing left for their expenses.
Zubair
Dubai,UAE
Posted: September 04, 2008, 11:30
I dont think that toll gates make much of a difference as during peak hours you can check the traffic jam on Garhoud bridge and at Sheikh Zayed road and now after installing more Salik gates we will be having no option to avoid all gates. First we should have more alternative routes then they should put more Salik gates for the time being.
Danish
Dubai,UAe
Posted: September 04, 2008, 11:15
