Municipality says old vehicles should not be on roads

Dubai: The municipality has suggested that vehicles more than 10 years old should not be allowed in the city as they are a major source of air pollution.

More than 75 per cent of air pollutants are from vehicle emissions, according to a report released Wednesday by Reda Hassan Salman, Head of the Environment Protection Department at Dubai Municipality.

The report also suggests that the use of better fuel, technology, enhanced inspections and maintenance of vehicles, and the use of an emission measuring Remote Sensing Device should also be adopted to check on vehicle emissions in order to improve air quality.

The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has also done a similar study in the past and has recommended a ban on vehicles older than 10 years but the suggestion was shelved because of economic losses. The report has also revealed that vehicle pollution in Dubai compared to American standards is around 13 per cent higher [for vehicles using petrol] whereas the vehicular pollution rate is 2.5 per cent in Virginia, 2 per cent in Michigan and 4.7 per cent in Canada.

The pollution rate of vehicles using diesel in Dubai is around 19 per cent.

Survey

The municipality conducted the survey at 43 locations across the city in cooperation with the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and Dubai Police from May 2007 to February 2008 with the aim of formulating effective strategies and policies.

"The idea was to measure pollutant levels in a vehicle's exhaust pipes while the vehicle is on the move," said Salman.

Dubai's statistical data showed that motor vehicles increased by an annual average of about 12 per cent.