4,500 sign up to Dubai car sharing scheme

More than 4,500 people have joined a new scheme to ease congestion on Dubai's roads, it has been announced.

The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) said the number of subscribers to its carpooling service, known as ‘Sharekni’, has exceeded 4,525 - just one month after launching this service.

The jambusting scheme was launched after a report revealed that car occupancy in the city was just 1.6 passengers per vehicle - one of the main reasons for traffic problems.

The ‘Sharekni’ service is based on the concept of encouraging two or more passengers working in one place or neighbouring places sharing one car or using a number of cars alternately from their place of living.

It aims to cut the number of private vehicles on Dubai roads which regularly experience traffic bottlenecks.