Sharjah: In an attempt to reduce a backlog of owed traffic fines in Sharjah, authorities have halved the cost of fines for motorists in order to encourage offending drivers to pay up within the next four months.
Owners of vehicles who have accumulated fines, will be able to pay 50 per cent of their traffic tickets if they decide to settle their dues before the end of August, authorities said.
The slash in traffic fines was approved by the Sharjah Executive Council meeting on Tuesday.
The programme is effective from April 7.
The initiative is a one-time offer and will not be extended, advised officials, after August 7. Only fines committed before April 7 will be eligible for a 50 per cent reduction.
Shaikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Sharjah Crown Prince, Deputy Ruler and Chairman of the Sharjah Executive Council, chaired the meeting which approved the suggestion made by the Sharjah Police Department.
Major General Humaid Mohammad Al Hudaidi, Sharjah Police Commander, welcomed the executive council’s positive response which aims at lifting the burden of traffic violation fees registered in Sharjah.
Al Hudaidi explained that the traffic reduction will include only fines issued by police including impounding of vehicles as well as the duration of impounding the vehicle.
Fines issued by other parties such as a municipal department or other governmental bodies not related to Sharjah Police will not be included in the decision and are therefore not eligible for reduced rates, said Al Hudaidi.
Next month’s fine-reduction programme is not the first to be offered by Sharjah officials in an attempt to clear the traffic fines backlog, said authorities.
In 2011, Sharjah Police also offered a traffic fine discount programme which halved the cost of paying fines for offending motorists, authorities said.
