Lack of parking for residents in Dubai’s International City

Reader is concerned about commercial vehicles occupying space for private parking

Ihave been a resident of Dubai’s International City for quite some time now. I wanted to highlight an issue that has been bothering the residents of the France cluster, (P12) for a long time. The residents have been suffering due to severe parking shortage as pickup trucks and commercial vehicles are taking up all the available spots.

When you drive into the International City area from Al Manama Road, you will observe many signboards clearly stating, ‘No parking pickups and heavy vehicles in residential areas’. These signs have been installed by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA). But, despite these, the residents across all areas of the community are frustrated with pickup trucks and commercial vehicles parking in the area, especially after 7pm on weekdays and all through the weekend and public holidays.

Every day, these vehicles start gathering in the area from 7pm onwards and drivers will occupy prime spots near residential buildings. And there seems to be no solution. On a weekday, if we are running late and reach the area after 8pm, we are unlikely to find any space to park.

However, the worst is on Thursdays. Pickup trucks start occupying parking spaces and they just leave the vehicles there. We have to park either on the pavement or in the middle of the road, blocking other vehicles, which we find is not the right way as we fear that we may get fines from the respective authorities.

I would like to suggest to the authorities to patrol this community and to apply fines to the commercial vehicles who are parking in residential areas. They could also install additional warning signboards to indicate that parking is prohibited for commercial vehicles and they will be fined if parked in the area.

The residents should be allowed to report any commercial vehicles parked here so that the authorities could fine the vehicle immediately, like a toll free number or any RTA contact numbers.

I would appreciate it if the authorities could consider the above situation and take appropriate action.

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Jamal Ahmad A. Commercial vehicles are seen parked in the International City’s Paris Cluster. The reader claims that it becomes difficult for residents to find a parking spot after 8pm.