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7/3/25, 10:19 AM What can be done to solve UAE traffic congestion? | The National
“You need a stick before most people will shift from using their car. Applying sticks – charges, taxes –
is unpopular and quite challenging politically," Prof Enoch said.

“Typically at the same time as trying to restrict car use, most places tend to give carrots as well.

Definitely improving public transport is the carrot. The argument is you cannot just penalise people,
you have to give them an alternative to get where they need to go to.”

New methods
Dubai introduced its road toll system, Salik, almost exactly 18 years ago, and the system has since
been extended and modified, notably through this year's introduction of dynamic pricing, with levies
increasing at peak times.

Dynamic pricing has proved highly effective at managing traffic in other parts of the world, such as
Singapore, where the Electronic Road Pricing scheme imposes, the authorities say, “toll charges …
according to time and congestion levels”.

Abu Dhabi’s Darb road toll system, which was introduced four and a half years ago, charges at peak
hours in the morning and early evening. Many other measures could lessen the UAE’s traffic woes.

Surveys last year by Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and the Dubai Government Human
Resources Department found flexible working hours and more working from home could cut peak-hour
traffic by as much as 30 per cent.

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