Staff Report www.gulfnews.com
Dubai: Approximately 2,000 parking slots for bicycles have been constructed by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and another 4,000 are in progress across Dubai. They have been constructed to encourage road users to also use bikes as part of a daily routine.
Maitha Bin Adai, CEO of RTA Rail Agency, said: “RTA has completed construction of 2,000 parking slots for bicycles, 200 of which have been opened with the launch of Dubai Metro at Mall of the Emirates station, Rashidiya station, Financial Center station, Khalid bin Al Waleed station, and Al Ittihad station.
The step is part of a comprehensive plan to prepare parking slots for thousands of bikes in all parts of the emirate, particularly in the vicinity of commercial centers.
“Construction of these parking spaces is carried out according to top quality specifications and standards to ensure that they will be easy to use, with maximum safety and minimal risk of causing injury to users and pedestrians or sustaining damage to bikes during parking.
These slots are also durable as they are manufactured of material resisting the harsh environmental conditions, erosion and corrosion. RTA is keen to have in place the required security & safety standards for bicycles and cyclists, and protect the beautiful setting of Dubai such that cyclists will be tempted to park their bikes at the designated places rather than randomly parking them on roads and squares.
“It is important to eliminate the negative aspects that distort the superb appearance of Dubai and undermine the life of people such as the crowded and disorderly parking of bikes in the proximity of pole of signboards, traffic signs, and lights or even trees, pedestrian fencing, pavements and other road furniture components.
“Such negative practices contribute to the destruction of these facilities, blocking visibility of other road users, disrupting pedestrian traffic, inconvenience to pedestrians, and increasing the prospects of accidents and injuries to the users of pavement and roads.”
