PARTING SHOT
A SAFE HAVEN
Truck drivers will finally get the rest stops they need in Dubai
L
ast month saw Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority (RTA) release its much-anticipated tender for the construction of three integrated truck rest stops in the emirate of Dubai. Despite its long sweeping highways, truck drivers have historically found themselves resorting to parking at service stations or even under the cover of fly overs and under overpasses when they have needed rest. With logistics and transportation viewed as an important link to the rest of the Gulf, a safe place for them to stop is long overdue. According to Mattar Mohammed Al Tayer, chairman of the RTA, the RTA wants to engage the private sector in carrying infrastructure projects and the delivery of services as it looks to improve the infrastructure of roads and transport. “And support the leading role of Dubai serving this vital economic sector. The project will also improve the quality of public services, transfer knowledge and expertise from the private sector to the public sector and qualify employees of
government entities in managing and overseeing this sort of long-term investment projects,” he explained. A first location is expected on Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road nearby Jebel Ali Industrial Area 3 in the direction of Abu Dhabi. The second will be on the Emirates Road, close to Dubai’s neighbour Sharjah. A third stop has been identified in Dubai Industrial City near Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road. Effectively, the three stops can cover the major truck routes in and out of the city. The first site, which is near Jebel Ali Industrial Area 3 in the direction of Abu Dhabi covers an area of 100 thousand square metres and accommodates 170 to 200 trucks. The second site adjacent to Emirates Road and Sharjah entry point, spans 70 thousand square metres and will accommodate 130-150 trucks. The third site is planned at Dubai Industrial City nearby the Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road over an area of 50 thousand square metres with a capacity to take 90-100 trucks. “The three rest-stops will have integrated services that meet all the basic and daily needs
of heavy vehicle drivers such as specialist technical testing centres, truck service centres, warehouses, restaurants, outlets and rest areas,” Al Tayer continued. The RTA had set out plans to build permanent and temporary rest-stops for heavy vehicles to eliminate issues of parking the vehicles on the sides of highways and residential areas and meet the rising demand for these rest-stops. Al Tayer said that, currently, heavy vehicles make about 375,000 journeys through Dubai, lifting about 5 million tons of cargo every day. “These rest stops will enhance the traffic safety level and reduce the number of incidents caused by exhausted drivers sitting behind the wheels for extended hours. They will also ease the movement of trucks during the prohibited timing by finding a place to park them until the elapse of the prohibited timings.” To complete the project the RTA is turning to the private sector and it is selling the idea as a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) aligned with the provisions of Dubai Law.
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32 AUGUST 2021
meconstructionnews.com
