UAE | Traffic and Transport

New traffic plan set to ease congestion and reduce deaths

A new traffic plan will be implemented in two weeks that will curb deaths and ease congestion, a senior police official said.

  • By Alia Al Theeb, Staff Reporter
  • Published: 00:00 October 18, 2006
  • Gulf News

  • Image Credit: Atiq-Ur-Rehman/Gulf News
  • Hussain Lootah (left) and Brigadier Mohammad Saif Al Zafein at the majlis organised by Dubai Press Club.

Dubai: A new traffic plan will be implemented in two weeks that will curb deaths and ease congestion, a senior police official said.

Brigadier Mohammad Saif Al Zafein, Director of Dubai Police's Traffic Department, was speaking at a Ramadan majlis organised by the Dubai Press Club on Monday.

According to the new plan, violations will be curbed as directed by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Executive Council. Brigadier Al Zafein, who did not give further details on the new plan, said "the situation will completely change. For example, a truck driver who jumps a red signal will be deported."

Brigadier Al Zafein said the per capita death rate for every 100,000 has declined this year at 17.5 compared to last year when it was 19.6.

"On an average 40 per cent of road deaths are pedestrians, especially on highways, while 15 per cent get killed when vehicles flip over. We had to take stronger measures."

Brigadier Al Zafein said last year saw 170,000 minor accidents with an average of one minor accident every three minutes.

He said there has been a big increase in traffic offences. "The increase in traffic offences means an increase in traffic controls and radars, but it also means an increase in the number of vehicles and motorists," Brigadier Al Zafein said.

He said the 56 cameras used to catch red signal offenders would be upped to 200 by the end of this year.

Brigadier Al Zafein said speed limits on some roads such as Al Wasl Road, Al Ghusais Road and Al Mina Road should be reduced from 80kph to 70kph.

Hussain Lootah, Director General of Dubai Municipality, who also attended the majlis, criticised the number of driving training vehicles in Dubai which add to the traffic.

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