Salik on track to launch two new toll gates in Dubai
The gates at Business Bay Crossing and Al Safa South expected to be ready in November
DUBAI: Two more toll gates launched by Salik are on track to be operational in November, the Dubai toll gate operator has confirmed.
Providing the update while announcing its results yesterday, Salik said the financial impact of the two new toll gates at Business Bay Crossing on Al Khail Road and Al Safa South on Sheikh Zayed Road will be communicated later this month.
The two gates are expected to optimise ‘traffic flow and reduce congestion’ on key routes within Dubai.
The two locations were selected after extensive traffic movement studies by RTA.
Earlier, Salik had said the two new locations would help with ‘reducing traffic congestion by up to 15 per cent on Al Khail Road’ and up to ‘16 per cent on Al Rabat Street’. It could also help with reducing ‘right-turn traffic volume from Sheikh Zayed Road to Meydan Street by up to 15 per cent.
Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of RTA, said, "Since the beginning of 2024, we have focused on expanding our core tolling business while diversifying our revenue streams through new strategic initiatives. The addition of two new toll gates in Dubai, scheduled to be operational by the end of November 2024, and our recent parking solutions partnership with Emaar Malls, which became operational in July this year, underscore our commitment to diversification and growth. These initiatives further support the company’s ability to continue creating value for all stakeholders while directly supporting Dubai's position as a leading destination to visit, live and work.”
He had earlier said, “Existing toll gates contributed to reducing the total travel time in Dubai by 6 million hours annually, decreasing traffic volumes on Al Maktoum and Al Garhoud bridges by 26 per cent, reducing travel times on Sheikh Zayed Road and Al Ittihad Street by 24 per cent, and increasing the number of mass transit users by nine million riders per annum.”
According to RTA, the new project will lead to the construction of five intersections and braided ramps, along with the introduction of rapid traffic solutions at two key points along Al Khail Road. It also includes enhancing the surface intersections of First Al Khail Road with Al Meydan and Al Zumurrud Streets.
Number of trips
The total number of trips, including discounted trips, made through Salik’s existing eight toll gates grew by 1.2 per cent year on year in the second quarter, driven by Dubai’s continued attraction to tourists and business-as-usual commercial activities, Salik said on Tuesday.
Revenue-generating trips reached 115.7 million, up 1.6 per cent year on year, the highest second quarter revenue-generating trips since inception. Growth remained strong across several gates in the second quarter, with Jebel Ali seeing double digit growth and other gates growing in the high-single digit range, including Al Maktoum Bridge.
Growth in active accounts exceeded 14.6 per cent year on year, with registered vehicles increasing by 8.8 per cent year on year to 4.2 million
Registered active accounts also increased 14.6 per cent year on year, with tag activations reaching around 244,000 in the second quarter, a 6.3 per cent year on year increase. In addition, the number of vehicles registered with Salik in the second quarter increased 8.8 per cent year on year, reflecting the Government of Dubai’s continued success in expanding the economy and ensuring the emirate remains a key destination for tourism and new residents.
Salik continued to offer tariff exemptions to vehicles used by charities, schools, people of determination, ambulances, and other public services. The number of free-of-charge trips made by exempted vehicles through Salik’s eight toll gates remained relatively stable year on year at around two million.
Growth was mainly driven by an increase in the number of registered exempted vehicles, which grew eight per cent year on year to reach 54,231 vehicles by the end of the quarter.