The Department of Transport in Abu Dhabi (DoT) has announced details of its public parking management strategy – a multi-phased approach to reducing congestion in Abu Dhabi.

Designed to address the problems associated with a lack of access to parking spaces, the strategy provides short- and immediate-term solutions.

The solutions include increasing the numbers of parking spaces in key identified areas; the introduction of paid parking; enforcement of time limits to increase vehicle turn-over and prevent the misuse of limited street level spaces; residents’ parking schemes and park-and-ride options in identified ‘hot-spots’.

These measures will be phased in from the fourth quarter of 2009.

The DoT also announced tariffs for the first time – with a charge for premium parking on main streets set at Dh3 per hour ($0.82) and a Dh2 per hour charge in other locations.  Residents’ permits will cost Dh800 per year for the first car, and Dh1200 per year for a second car, if applicable.

“This programme is about introducing the first, short term measures in a much longer term strategy that is a critical part of Government and DoT plans to ensure that Abu Dhabi becomes a greener, more accessible, less congested capital,” said Najib Al Zarooni, director of parking, DoT, Abu Dhabi.

“This is just the first step, but we believe these measures will result in visible improvements by year end, with less congestion, fewer illegally parked vehicles, and a better understanding among car owners of the need to park correctly to support the free flow of traffic through our Emirate. It is a fairer, more transparent system that benefits residents and supports local businesses.”

For the first time in the capital, a cross-government agency parking committee has been formed to ensure an integrated and streamlined approach to tackling issues associated with parking. Members include senior representatives from the Urban Planning Council, Abu Dhabi Municipality, Abu Dhabi Police and the Department of Transport.

As part of the strategy for developing long term solutions, studies are also underway to examine sites for the development of public car park buildings in several locations across Abu Dhabi.

Two of these sites were announced today with the parking committee working on final plans for facilities in these areas. In coordination with other strategic partners, the DoT is also examining street level parking enhancements including quick built temporary steel structures and enhanced road surface and layouts which create additional spaces within areas.

Problems associated with parking in city centre areas have increased as Abu Dhabi’s population expands, and as the number of drivers and car-owners has risen. Between 2005 and 2008, the number of registered vehicles in the Emirate increased by an average of 16 per cent per annum, and the number of people holding licenses rose by 10 per cent per annum, over the same period.

The public parking management strategy has been developed using the very latest sector technology, and in future will include the option to pay parking fees via mobile phone or smart card. The smart cards will also be capable of integration with other payment and ticketing systems across the public transport network in future.

Residents will also benefit from an advanced electronic parking system, while the control and management of the entire programme is to be integrated into a central computer system which monitor the performance across every project element. – TradeArabia News Service