Plea for international bus stand

Passengers going on summer vacation by international buses are demanding the authorities set up bus stations with complete facilities in the UAE.

Passengers have complained of high temperatures in the absence of waiting rooms, and that they have to keep their luggage on dirty pavements.

Companies running these bus services have also complained about space constraints as a large number of buses are carrying passengers to destinations in the Middle East and North Africa, and there is not a single bus station designated specially for them.

These buses carry a large number of people for performing Haj and Umrah during this period. Being the cheapest mode of transport, they cover a large segment of the expatriate community, especially the low income group, to the countries of their origin such as Jordan, Egypt, Syria and Lebanon.

Saeed Salem Burdan, Director of the Economic Relations Division in the Economic Dev-elopment Department, said: "A comprehensive study to reorganise all business sectors in the emirate, of which the international bus service is part, started eight months ago.

"An international bus stand to accommodate all transport companies operating in the emirate is a massive project.

"The project will take time to finish as we lack requirements and information on the project. Unless the bus owners further combine efforts with the economic department, an amicable solution for this long-standing issue will not be an easy task."

He said a questionnaire has already been distributed among the bus companies. A number of meetings have been planned to discuss different aspects of the issue.

According to a source in the Sharjah Municipality, a study is underway to allocate a suitable area where the fleet of buses can stand.

The source said: "We believe that a bus stand with better facilities for passengers should be allocated. It can also enable the sector to manage its business more efficiently."

Mohammed Wahbeh, a veteran industry player and Director of Al Madani International Bus Service, said: "Currently we have a space problem as there is no bus station of an international standard. In Sharjah, King Faisal Mosque is the only stand for all bus companies.

"Passengers have to come shortly before the bus leaves as there is no other stand, while those who come late have to wait inside the bus or in the office.

"In Dubai it is even worse as buses stand somewhere between the Hyatt Regency Hotel and the fish market. The place is congested as it is used by almost all other companies."

Sharjah Municipality has told the companies to park their buses in garages. This means buses parked at any other place in the city will be fined. All these problems will be over once an international bus stand is allocated to these companies, he said.

"The economic department forwarded the questionnaire four months ago. It was aimed at providing data about the meeting to be held between the companies and the department periodically. No progress has been made so far."

He has also called for the establishment of bus owners association.

Yahya Al Rifae, manager of Al Nisr Bus Service, said: "The venue of King Faisal Mosque is not meant to be used as a bus station. These buses are huge and they take a lot of space.

"Passengers pile up their luggage on the pavement because of space constraint. The municipality does not allow us to use areas other than this."

Husam Zayed, a passenger said: "An air-conditioned bus stand with facilities catering to the needs of the passengers is a must. It should have proper toilets and items that passengers need during travel.

"The temperature outside is unbearable. We have to wait inside the bus before setting off. So we tend to arrive only half an hour prior to departure.

"Families find it hard to meet the demands of children in the absence of a mini market. They also cannot come early because there is no waiting place for visitors."

Abdul Razak Haboob, another passenger going to Syria, said: "I don't like my luggage being put on the pavement as the place is so dirty. I also have to look for a porter to load it into the bus.

"The temperature is too high but I have to stay inside the vehicle until the journey kicks off. Establishing a modern bus stand will resolve all the problems of the passengers."