Dubai's RTA warns against parking under metro tracks

Dubai: Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has warned against parking under metro viaducts, and ignoring multi-storey car park rules.

“RTA is launching field campaigns along the protected zone of the Dubai railways stretching 90 kilometres to prevent the casual parking of vehicles under the metro viaducts. Other campaigns aim to ensure that vehicles parked in the multi-level parking terminals of the metro do not exceed the fixed parking time,” said Osama Al Safi, Director of Rail Right-of-Way of the RTA’s Rail Agency.

“The casual parking of vehicles under the metro viaducts distorts the urban and tourist outlook of the city. These bridges are not just concrete structures to support the elevated metro tracks, they are rather an integral part of the architectural fabric of the emirate and a feature of its advanced public transport network.

“RTA has taken preventive measures to prevent the disorderly parking under the metro bridges. It has also installed cautionary signs to this effect to raise public awareness and at the same establish the legal basis for taking measures as regards the violating vehicles,” he added.

Al Safi explained that RTA communicates directly with motorists, advising them to move their vehicles to avoid being towed.

“Since the launch of the campaign this year, more than 400 motorists were contacted and vehicles whose owners failed to remove them within an hour of their notification were towed away. So far, 17 vehicles were towed.”

At metro station multi-storey car parks, the Rail Agency is using Wheel Dolly Jack technology to remove vehicles.

Metal pieces are inserted underneath the violating vehicle and it is pulled out smoothly, to ensure the safety of the towed vehicle as well as the safety of RTA’s assets.

Al Safi called on motorists to cooperate with the RTA and use designated parking places. He also urged them to comply with the conditions of using the parking terminals at metro stations.