Want to reduce traffic? Don’t let the poor drive. That’s the scheme being considered by the Director General of Dubai as they search for the ways to ease of increasing congestion on its roads. This city is growing very fast and everyone is buying their own car. If they keep going in this direction they’ll just have roads and bridges everywhere.
To solve the problem, the officials are considering establishing a minimum salary requirement for car ownership, hoping to encourage more people to use Dubai’s public transportation. There are over 200 nationalities living in Dubai, the numbers are increasing every year and the roads are getting congested.
Officials also suggested increasing parking fees, insurance costs and the price of fuel, which is currently sells for about $2.00 per gallon in Dubai. The Gulf nation has seen its population double over the past decade, in large part due to an influx of low-paid foreign workers, but is also home to one of the largest concentrations of billionaires in the world.
Car-free day A change in attitudes, says Dubai Municipality official
The 19th of February is a Car Free Day in Dubai and is being observed for the 5th consecutive year which is truly an achievement. The officials are expecting over 7,000 people to take part in this activity this year. As many as 61 public and private organizations are taking part in the car free day; they will be given passes for their employees. The idea is to encourage people to use public transport instead of their cars.
The officials are giving away 100 sport bicycles to the people registering online. In 2010 only 1,000 people were enlisted. The numbers have since gone up substantially. That’s a reduction of about 20 tons of carbon emissions. . Growing car market and the reasonable prices is also the reason behind so many cars on the roads of Dubai. Every year more and more organizations are coming forward to take part in car-free days. The response is very heartening.
Dubai has made a lot of progress in public transport. Today it is easily accessible in all key areas. Plans are on to reach out to more people and extend transport network in other areas. If people cannot leave their cars at home, they can at least change the way they use it. They can park the car midway to their destination and use a bicycle, train or a bus. Certainly one day is not enough to solve the problem of congestion and pollution in Dubai. But that one day can change attitudes.
