Abu Dhabi's superfast 160km/h speed limit to change?

Dubai: Signboards along the roads of Abu Dhabi are all set to change within the next three weeks, except for a couple of its most notorious roads.

Abu Dhabi Police explained that all speed buffers across the roads will be removed by August 12, which means that all road signs indicating the speed limit will also be changed.

However, Abu Dhabi Police emphasised that there will be no change in the speed limit on the Abu Dhabi - Al Ain Road and the Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Road, which was previously known as the Mafraq - Ghuwaifat Road.

The maximum speed of the roads will remain at 160 km/h after the cancellation of the speed margin on August 12.

Abu Dhabi Police further stressed that “once the 20 km/h grace limit is removed, the maximum speed of the road will remain at 160 km/h”.

Thomas Edelmann, managing director of Road Safety UAE, told Gulf News that eliminating speed buffers was the correct approach to making motorists safe on the roads.

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“What is written on a sign should not be open to interpretation, buffers or anything similar. Like in other countries, the meaning of road signage must be crystal clear. Hence, it is definitely a step in the right direction to get rid of the speed buffers in the UAE,” said Edelmann.

He stressed that speeding remains one of the main causes of death on roads, and pointed out that the elimination of speed buffers goes hand in hand with the increased activities of concerned authorities to cut the reckless practice.   

“More emphasis must be given to reduce speeding and hence, the elimination of speed buffers as well as increased controls of the existing speed limits both are definitely key ingredients to making the UAE roads safer,” said Edelmann.