By Nadeem Hanif, Staff reporter www.xpress.com
They are looking into the potential impact of passengers parking vehicles in mall car parks when the rail link opens in September.
A paid parking scheme has already been in place for a year at Bur Juman Mall, which is refunded if shoppers spend Dh100.
Fareed Abdul Rahman, Vice-President, Divisional Asset Management for Majid Al Futtaim Properties, which owns the Mall of the Emirates, said the company wanted to ensure that there were enough parking spaces available for customers. “With Mall of the Emirates Metro station so conveniently situated we are looking into ways to manage parking spaces.”
David Thurling, Managing Director for Nakheel Retail Shopping Malls, which runs Ibn Battuta Mall, said they expected an increase in the demand for parking when the Metro launches.He said: “Parking at the mall will continue to be managed in such a way as to ensure that shoppers and visitors are provided with 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.”
No one was available to comment from Dubai Mall.
Shoppers at Mall of the Emirates expressed their views on the proposal. Rachel Osborne, a British expatriate, said: “I can understand they are concerned by people who might use the car park to go on the Metro, but they shouldn’t penalising shoppers because of it.”
Adam Brooks, an Australian national, said: “It is very disappointing to hear that they are thinking about doing this.”
