RTA dogged by talk of massive Salik expansion

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Salik was launched July 1 in a bid to ease traffic congestion along Sheikh Zayed Road and over Garhoud Bridge. (Getty Images)

Dubai's transport authority is to cover all major roads and bridges in the emirate with toll gates by 2010, a senior official has revealed in the latest leak of a massive expansion to the controversial Salik toll scheme.

The official at the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) claimed there are plans to introduction toll gates on Emirates Road, Al Khail Road, Al Ittihad Road, Shindagha Tunnel, Business Bay Crossing and Maktoum Bridge by 2009, UAE daily Emirates Business 24/7 reported on Monday.

The source also said gates will be erected on the yet-to-be-built Shindagha Bridge and a fifth bridge spanning Dubai Creek by 2010.

The expansion will bring the total number of Salik gates in Dubai to 10, including the gates on Sheikh Zayed Road and Garhoud bridge that are already in operation.

“The move is designed to create a seamless flow of traffic and to encourage people to use public transport means,” the official told the newspaper, speaking on condition of anonymity.

He said the expansion is aimed at reducing congestion by making more people use public transport.

The RTA was not immediately available for comment when contacted by ArabianBusiness.com.

The report on Monday is just the latest in a string of stories quoting RTA officials that the authority is preparing expand the unpopular road toll.

A UAE Arabic newspaper reported late last month the RTA is "conducting a study to put toll gates on other new roads in Dubai".

The article stated that toll gates could be placed on Maktoum Bridge, Shindagha Tunnel, Business Bay Bridge and the Floating Bridge.

Salik was launched July 1 in a bid to ease traffic congestion along Sheikh Zayed Road and over Garhoud Bridge.

However, the scheme has been heavily criticised for worsening congestion in other areas of Dubai, especially around Deira and Bur Dubai, as motorists take alternative routes to avoid paying the toll.

Drivers have to pay 4 dirhams ($1.1) each time they pass through the toll gates located on Garhoud Bridge and on Sheikh Zayed Road next to Mall of the Emirates.

Salik is expected to bring in more than $160 million during its first year of operation.

The RTA last month said it spending $22 billion on expanding and improving Dubai's transport infrastructure by 2020.

The plan allocates $12 billion for new roads, $2.5 billion each for marine transport and tram systems, $6.3 billion for the Dubai Metro and $600 million for new buses.

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READERS' COMMENTS

Call it Road Tax instead of Toll
Posted by Mayola Dsouza, Dubai, UAE on Tuesday 18 December 2007 at 10:19 UAE time

The RTA should be honest about its real intentions. Solving the traffic chaos was never the real reason behind introducing Salik, instead it was only a revenue generating scheme for them. The only beneficiaries at present are people commuting between Sharjah and Dubai, whereas the residents of Dubai continue to suffer. If all the bridges will have toll gates, can the RTA explain how they can continue to call it a toll? It is a tax - users are forced to pay to use the road and there will be no reduction in traffic congestion?

More Salik tool gates? No thanks
Posted by Osama Rashid, Dubai, UAE on Monday 17 December 2007 at 09:44 UAE time

More tollgates = more traffic congestion. Haven't they figured that out by now? We already know what the outcome of the RTA's 'study' will be.

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