Salik expansion brings Dubai to halt

Much of Dubai’s road network ground to a halt on Tuesday morning as commuters attempting to avoid the two new Salik toll gates clogged up alternative routes.

The expansion of Dubai’s unpopular road toll system came into affect on Tuesday with additional gates on Al Maktoum Bridge and Sheikh Zayed Road next to Al Safa joining the two gates already in operation.

Radio stations were inundated with calls throughout the morning of nightmare traffic on and around routes including Al Wasl Road, Floating Bridge and Business Bay Crossing.

Similar to the gates on Sheikh Zayed Road opposite Mall of the Emirates and on Al Garhoud Bridge, motorists will pay four dirhams ($1.10) each time they go through the Al Safa and Al Maktoum Bridge gates, paying a maximum of 24 dirhams in any one day.

However, motorists will only be charged once if they pass through the two Sheikh Zayed Road gates within the space of an hour, in either direction, and the Al Maktoum Bridge gate will only be operational between 6.00am and 10.00pm.

The expansion has proved very unpopular with motorists still unhappy over the implementation of the first gates in July last year.

More than 70 percent of respondents to a recent Arabian Business poll said they were sworn enemies of the toll system, with 25 percent of those saying the existing gates should be dismantled and the RTA should rethink the whole scheme.

Media reports have claimed previously there are plans to introduce yet more toll gates on Emirates Road, Al Khail Road, Al Ittihad Road, Shindagha Tunnel and Business Bay Crossing by 2009, and on the yet-to-be-built Shindagha Bridge and a fifth bridge spanning Dubai Creek by 2010.

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