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Discuss this article (51 Comments)Dubai shopping malls eye parking charge move
by This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it on Sunday, 28 June 2009
NEW CHARGES: Shopping malls in Dubai are considering parking charges. (Getty Images)
Dubai malls may soon introduce parking fees to limit the number of Dubai Metro users leaving their cars in their car parks.
A Dubai radio station on Sunday reported that the Mall of the Emirates, the world’s largest mall by sales, is set to introduce parking meters for people leaving their cars in its car park for longer than four hours.
No details regarding the level of charges was mentioned.
“At the Mall of the Emirates we do everything to ensure that there are sufficient car park spaces available for our customers. With Mall of the Emirates Metro station so conveniently situated we are looking into a number of ways we can manage our parking spaces. We will announce details of any schemes shortly,” a spokesperson told Arabian Business.
A four-hour time limit would enable most MoE shoppers to continue parking for free, while commuters taking the car to the mall’s metro station would have to pay.
Nakheel, owner of Ibn Battuta, said it too was looking at different ways of managing its parking facilities.
“Ibn Battuta Mall anticipates increased patronage as a direct result of the new Metro line and station,” said David Thurling, managing director of Nakheel Retail Shopping Malls.
“Parking at the mall will continue to be managed in such a way as to ensure that all shoppers and visitors are provided with convenient and accessible car parking facilities. We are also looking at ways in which to best accommodate the needs of Metro patrons who may wish to utilise the Mall’s parking facilities.”
Emaar’s Dubai Marina Mall does not charge for parking but signs telling visitors to pay for their parking have caused confusion among its visitors. A company spokesperson was not immediately available for comment.
Al Ghurair Group’s BurJuman mall already charges for parking, but the money is refunded if shoppers spend a certain amount of money.
MoE was the highest grossing mall in the world last year, a MAF official told Arabian Business in May.
Naeem Ghafoor, chief executive of Skyline Retail Services, a Dubai-based consultancy, said he did not think the parking fees suggested in media reports on Sunday would impact sales at the mall.
“I doubt very much that people spend more than four hours shopping at Mall of the Emirates,” he said.
READERS' COMMENTS
Disclaimer: The views expressed here by our readers are not necessarily shared by ArabianBusiness.com or its employees.
malls have the right
Posted by sophie, Dubai, UAE on Wednesday 1 July 2009 at 14:26 UAE time
Malls do not spend millions of dirhams on parking facilities so everyone can come and park for free. People here misuse things a lot without any conscience. Things have changed in Dubai and will change with the opening of the metro. Would you like if anyone used your parking space at the home or the office all day without paying for at and inconveniencing you in the process ? I should think not. Internationally, parking fees are charged by man malls / hotels and no one cribs and complains like they do here. Infact a lot of people who quietly pay up at home are the ones to create a ruckus here. And the malls are not responsible for Dubai Municipality or RTA's job of providing parking for metro users. RTA should have planned this whole thing better. Only a few stations have parking facilities. If you don't want to pay, don't pay and don't go but freebee days are getting over. Live with it. I don't know what MOE will finally charge but they can make the system simple. BurJuman does not charge during lunch or after 6 pm or on weekends and holidays. Whoever does not want to pay can easily find a timeslot that suits them in any mall. Boycotting malls is not the solution. There are very few places to go to anyway.
Posted by sophie, Dubai, UAE on Wednesday 1 July 2009 at 14:26 UAE time
Malls do not spend millions of dirhams on parking facilities so everyone can come and park for free. People here misuse things a lot without any conscience. Things have changed in Dubai and will change with the opening of the metro. Would you like if anyone used your parking space at the home or the office all day without paying for at and inconveniencing you in the process ? I should think not. Internationally, parking fees are charged by man malls / hotels and no one cribs and complains like they do here. Infact a lot of people who quietly pay up at home are the ones to create a ruckus here. And the malls are not responsible for Dubai Municipality or RTA's job of providing parking for metro users. RTA should have planned this whole thing better. Only a few stations have parking facilities. If you don't want to pay, don't pay and don't go but freebee days are getting over. Live with it. I don't know what MOE will finally charge but they can make the system simple. BurJuman does not charge during lunch or after 6 pm or on weekends and holidays. Whoever does not want to pay can easily find a timeslot that suits them in any mall. Boycotting malls is not the solution. There are very few places to go to anyway.
Alternative Shopping Mall
Posted by Tim Choeiri, Dubai, Indonesia on Tuesday 30 June 2009 at 08:51 UAE time
Remember there is alternative big mall who didn't charge parking fee, and why we should make another budget parking in our list, so congratulation to the mall who din't charge parking fee ,i am one of yours shoppers..
Posted by Tim Choeiri, Dubai, Indonesia on Tuesday 30 June 2009 at 08:51 UAE time
Remember there is alternative big mall who didn't charge parking fee, and why we should make another budget parking in our list, so congratulation to the mall who din't charge parking fee ,i am one of yours shoppers..
MOE parking
Posted by Bojo, Dubai on Tuesday 30 June 2009 at 07:39 UAE time
The idea to charge for parking is ridiculous, I will not be visiting the mall in that case, there are many alternatives and I'll take my money elsewhere. This is just another money grabing idea driven by greed and profit margin as is everything here.
Posted by Bojo, Dubai on Tuesday 30 June 2009 at 07:39 UAE time
The idea to charge for parking is ridiculous, I will not be visiting the mall in that case, there are many alternatives and I'll take my money elsewhere. This is just another money grabing idea driven by greed and profit margin as is everything here.
Take...Take...Take
Posted by Ashraf, UAE on Tuesday 30 June 2009 at 06:55 UAE time
First we had Salik...what did we get in return for the charge. nothing but more traffic jams. Metro is supposed to resolve the traffic headache. If there is no parking or paid parking near Metro stations, then I might as well drive to the office it will probably be cheaper. The psyche of taking and taking should stop. Give something back to the ordinary folks who after all make the economy turn.
Posted by Ashraf, UAE on Tuesday 30 June 2009 at 06:55 UAE time
First we had Salik...what did we get in return for the charge. nothing but more traffic jams. Metro is supposed to resolve the traffic headache. If there is no parking or paid parking near Metro stations, then I might as well drive to the office it will probably be cheaper. The psyche of taking and taking should stop. Give something back to the ordinary folks who after all make the economy turn.
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