UAE Traffic: Heavy delays in Dubai

Congestion hampered the Dubai commute on Thursday, with several accidents blocking major thoroughfares

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES,  29 MARCH 2017. 

The speed limit on Emirates Road and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road in Dubai is to be reduced.

Dubai Police and the Roads and Transport Authority said the limit was to fall from 120kph to 110kph to improve safety.

Speed cameras will be reset to trigger at 131kph, they said.

Emirates Road and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road are the most dangerous in Dubai. Last year, 51 people died in accidents on the two motorways - 33 on the latter and 18 on the former.


The speed reduction was announced after a meeting between the RTA and Dubai Police to increase road safety and both said the decision was made due to the number of fatal accidents on the two roads.

They also agreed to launch campaigns to monitor lorries and report any safety violators.

Lt Col Omar Ashour, director of traffic investigation at Al Rashidiya Police Station, said Emirates Road was one of the five most-dangerous in Dubai.


"A total of 10 deaths were reported in Dubai over the past two months, five of which occurred on the Emirates Road," he said.

Lt Col Ashour said a total of 44,826 traffic violations occurred last year in Al Rashidiya’s jurisdiction, compared to 53,148 in 2015. Seventy-five of last year’s violations were for driving under the influence of alcohol. Some 995 vehicles were seized in the same period.

Al Rashidiya Police Station covers Midrif, northern parts of Emirates Road and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road in Dubai, Al Warqa, Al Twar, Umm Ramool and Nad Al Hamar.


He also said 12 new speed cameras would be installed in the area.

Maj Gen Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police, said: "These coordinative meetings of the RTA and Dubai Police are of huge benefit to the emirate and our joint business. They enable the realisation of the common objectives of providing security, tranquility and happiness to the public."

Dubai Traffic Police said they have intensified patrols and increased fixed and mobile radars o *** Local Caption ***  RM_20170329_SPEED_007.JPG
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Congestion hampered the Dubai commute on Thursday, with several accidents blocking major thoroughfares.

An accident was reported on Emirates Road before Al Khawaneej exit, according to Dubai Police.

Another accident on Ras Al Khor Road caused ten minutes delay for commuters.

Motorists traveling on Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road from the National Paints roundabout in Sharjah to Mirdif City Centre were caught in long queues. Elsewhere there are delays on Muhaisnah, Al Tawar and Al Qusais, mainly on Beirut and Cairo streets.

A twenty-minute delay is expected on Al Ittihad Street towards Dubai and delays are expected towards 12 street and the Sharjah Ring Road.

Congestion was reported in Abu Dhabi's usual traffic hot spots in Al Shahama Road at the Eastern Mangroves and Khaleej Al Arabi and from Al Ain heading into Abu Dhabi.