Trucks drive illegally in residential area

Dubai: A Gulf News reader complained that heavy vehicles are using a road near the Al Muntazah residential villas in Jebel Ali to pass through the area, resulting in excessive noise and harassment for residents.

Lesley Connolly, a resident in the Al Muntazah complex, said: "Hundreds of sewage tankers, water lorries and heavy vehicles are plying right next to our residential villas."

She said the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) had put up many signs prohibiting the use of this route by heavy vehicles, but the drivers just ignore them.

"The construction traffic is supposed to follow a definite route but they do not use it as it is longer. Subsequently, we have heavy construction traffic 24 hours a day right next to our villas. This shakes our villas, throws dust and sand into our homes and causes asthma attacks in our children in addition to breathing difficulties," Connolly said.

She said the loud noise of the tankers frightens the children and wakes them up.

She said the track is meant for church access only, or other small vehicles. It is not meant to handle heavy vehicles.

Major Essam Al Awar, Acting Director of Dubai Police's Bur Dubai Traffic Department, said: "We have traffic patrols stationed on that road after we verified that heavy vehicles are not allowed in this area and there are signs prohibiting them."

He said instructions have been given to traffic patrols to monitor this track, issue fines for offenders and even confiscate vehicles who repeat the offence.

Major Al Awar said it is not possible for police to cover all areas, but action is taken whenever there are any complaints of offences by residents in their particular areas.