The Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure also suggested introducing new modes of stricter car ownership rules for public transportation to help ease the strain on the road network
Vehicle growth in Dubai has exceeded 8 per cent, a figure well above the global rate of 2 per cent, said the Minister of Energy and Infrastructure.
Describing this surge as abnormal, Suhail Al Mazrouei emphasised the need for updated policies and legislation surrounding vehicle ownership and registration to address the issue.
“The Ministry requested that the issue be included in the UAE Government’s Annual Meetings to mobilise efforts and enhance coordination with local authorities,” said Al Mazrouei.
Al Mazrouei also explained that the Ministry is leading a team, which includes representatives from local governments and the Ministry of Interior, to study the problem in-depth. The Ministry has already proposed several potential solutions to the Cabinet, working closely with local entities to develop a comprehensive plan.
Among the proposed measures are improvements to the road corridors connecting Dubai with other emirates, the development of new roadways, better integration of mass transit systems across the country, and the introduction of new modes of public transport.
Al Mazrouei was responding to a question raised by FNC member Adnan Al Hammadi about the growing congestion between Dubai and Sharjah, which he incidentally voiced over a year ago.
“Over a year ago, we were told the ministry conducted the required studies and considered engineering resolutions to find solutions for traffic congestion on UAE roads and that the projects will be implemented during the second half of 2024 — to smoothen traffic and ease congestion,” Al Hammadi reminded. “However, traffic congestion continues to escalate, so what is the ministry doing to tackle the worsening traffic between Dubai and Sharjah?”
In response, Al Mazrouei clarified, “Development work on key federal corridors started in 2024 and is currently ongoing.”
Al Hammadi countered, “This answer was over a year and a half ago.” He pressed further, “The question is: When will this be accomplished? And when will we witness those solutions in real life?
“When the minister spoke about proposed solutions, unfortunately, the legislative aspect is lacking; it only focused on regulating traffic movement without looking at the factors causing this traffic crisis about the urban development and rising volume of vehicles.”
He explained that while Dubai’s vehicle growth rate is 8 per cent, the total vehicle increase in Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, and Umm Al Quwain stands at a staggering 23 per cent. This, he said, is a serious concern for the region.
He also highlighted the staggering number of cars entering Dubai daily —1.2 million, up from 850,000 a year and a half ago — and the fact that the Dubai Traffic and Licensing Department issues about 4,000 new driver’s licences each day. “How can we find convenient solutions to this crisis?” Al Hammadi asked.
Additionally, Al Hammadi pointed out the significant time wasted due to congestion, citing an example of a motorists. He said, “An employee spends 460 hours driving between Dubai and Sharjah, which adds up to 60 working days wasted on the road — equivalent to one-third of the total number of working days.
According to Al Hammadi, federal government employees travel to work from their houses after dawn prayers and return after 8pm. “Can you imagine Emirati employees being forced to wait in mosques, parking lots and cafes for traffic to ease before returning home?”
He also pointed out that others have been forced to rent temporary apartments or shared residences closer to their offices in Dubai to avoid the long commutes. “We are tired of this issue and are in need of a swift solution,” he added.
“Traffic congestion on those roads is an eternal and painful problem; all road users suffer from it, and we need prompt solutions.” While the issue has been raised many times before, “until now, we have not seen satisfying solution to this problem,” he added. “As an FNC member, it is not my duty to question the minister or propose solutions; I only convey the concerns and requests of the public.”
Source: Khaleejtimes
