Abu Dhabi’s Department of Transport has announced that charges for its new road toll will be suspended until January 1 2020, with a trial period to operate from October 15 until that date.
The transport authority, announcing its decision on Twitter, gave further details of the charges once the system is implemented on New Year’s Day.
.@AbuDhabiDoT announced that the Abu Dhabi Traffic Toll Gate System will commence on 15 Oct 2019 on a free of charge basis until 1 Jan 2020. This trial period will provide residents more time to plan the best travel times and explore transport alternatives. pic.twitter.com/giqtwgvN3O
— Abu Dhabi Government Media Office (@admediaoffice) October 13, 2019
The Department of Transport revealed that senior citizens, retirees, martyrs’ family members, people of determination and low-income earners will be exempt, according to eligibility.
In addition, those who access Abu Dhabi island on a regular basis will have a cap on daily and monthly fees. The daily cap will be AED16, while the monthly cap will be AED200 for the first vehicle, AED150 for the second, and AED100 for each additional vehicle.
The tolls, set at AED4 rush hour and AED2 non-peak hour, will apply to all motorists entering or exiting Abu Dhabi island.
Last week, the Department of Transport said it was relocating a gate on to Mussaffah bridge, in order to curb avoidance and ensure there are no major traffic issues caused by drivers looking to dodge the toll.
“The tolls will help police to enhance road safety and management,” said Maj Ahmad Al Shamsi of Abu Dhabi Police.
“Every road faces challenges but this technology has been invested in and we will soon see that it is effective.”
Traffic officials in Abu Dhabi expect the introduction of road tolls will reduce traffic congestion by up to eight percent during peak hours.
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