Sharjah
I have been a resident of Sharjah for many years and have seen many positive developments in the emirate. The public transport facilities have also improved and the authorities have made it very convenient for residents to travel. But, there is one issue — the bus stops don’t have a shaded area for passengers to wait.
Many people commute on these buses, which are well-maintained and easily accessible. The buses have reserved seats for women, senior citizens and families, which is an added advantage and makes the journey a wonderful experience for people of all ages. On King Faisal Street, there are three bus stops and from early morning, I see many people waiting for the buses.
Since the frequency of buses in this area is good, it’s becoming more and more popular, which is a good sign as this would ease traffic congestion and eventually add to the overall productivity and economy of the country. But, it’s really sad to see that the people using the public transport system daily do not have a proper place to sit while waiting for their bus.
Unfortunately, all three stops on King Faisal Street have the same issue. Commuters are forced to stand on the pavement in sunny, rainy or windy conditions. I feel that it’s especially very unsafe for children to wait in the open. During the summer months, it becomes nearly impossible to stand in the sun and wait for the bus.
The second issue, which I would like to bring to the notice of the authorities, is that there should be a proper signboard on the bus stands, reflecting the time schedule of the buses commuting to and from different areas. People would know the exact schedule and this would reduce their waiting time. This would also save them from the disappointment of stepping onto the wrong bus.
I feel that proper bus shelters and schedules would be helpful for commuters and would also motivate more and more people to use pubic transport. The other advantage of having such shelters is hassle-free boarding, according to the waiting number. Commuters can enter the bus in a queue and won’t have to struggle to board.
When my son decided to use the bus to go to Dubai, my only concern was about him waiting on the pavement. He was not sure of the bus number till the bus arrived. If there was a time schedule with bus numbers, he would have easily checked. My sincere request to the concerned authorities to work on these issue and find a suitable solution.
If the public transport facilities are up to the mark, I am sure parents would encourage their children to use public transport more often, to commute to and from their respective destinations.
— The reader is a teacher based in Sharjah.
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Editor’s note: The reader’s concerns were raised with the management of Sharjah Roads and Transport Authority. However, despite repeated reminders, they did not respond.
