Paid parking across capital from August 18
Transport department to introduce standard and premium space, residential permits
Motorists urged to obtain residential parking permits before the implementation date to avoid fines |
All parking spaces across Abu Dhabi city will become paid from August 18, the Abu Dhabi Department of Transport announced yesterday.
The department has urged motorists and vehicle owners to obtain residential parking permits before the implementation date in order to avoid fines and penalties.
The move is being undertaken to organise parking spaces across the city and ensure the smooth flow of traffic, while also eliminating improper parking practices. Motorists will also be able to reduce the time spent in looking for parking spaces, the statement said.
The Mawaqif paid parking system was introduced in the capital in 2009 amid rampant complaints of insufficient parking spaces. Since then, parking has been made paid sector by sector, starting from the busiest areas in downtown Abu Dhabi, and with pavement markings indicating areas where the scheme has been implemented. Turquoise-and-black or turquoise-and-white markings differentiate between the two types of parking spaces — standard and premium — charged at Dh2 and Dh3 per hour, respectively.
The department also set up parking structures in various neighbourhoods to further ease the parking shortage. Similar rates apply to parking within these structures.
The pavement marking system will, however, be scrapped from August 18, and each parking sector will be separated using signage. This means that motorists will have to pay to park in areas where paid parking had not yet been implemented, like Al Muroor and Al Bateen, for instance. In addition, residents living in these previously free areas must also obtain residential parking permits unless they want to pay daily and hourly parking fees.
A response from the department on which areas exactly will become paid from August is not yet available, but the statement specified that the move to implement paid parking applies to Abu Dhabi island. No change has been announced for parking in areas off the island, such as in Khalifa City and Shakhbout City, and the department has also not clarified whether motorists will be able to use parking tickets of one sector when parking in another.
To avoid paying hourly rates to park near their areas of residence, tenants and property owners, as well as their first-degree relatives living in the same home, can apply for residential parking permits. Those without residential permits cannot park in the spots marked as residential between 9pm and 8am every day. A maximum of two permits are issued per residence, specific to the vehicle and the sector where the residence is located.
Residential parking permits for expats costs Dh800 for the first permit, and Dh1,200 for the second. Permits can also be obtained twice a year, with Dh400 being the cost of the half-yearly permit for the first car and Dh600 for the second car.
To obtain residential permits, motorists must submit the land plan, a copy of the attested tenancy contract, a copy of their Emirates ID, a copy of vehicle registration, and their latest water and electricity bill to the department’s customer service centres.