New grounds for parking near schools in Dubai

Parents complain of traffic choke points; RTA says three communities to get parking zones to ease congestion.

Dubai - Illegal parking near schools are now infuriating parents and motorists. Parents of school children, who attend both public and private schools, have voiced their concerns about other parents who double-park their cars near school compounds during peak hours. The practice of some parents parking their cars on the school’s footpaths is also a common sight causing traffic jams during school arrival and dispersal time.

The Road and Transport Authority (RTA) said three communities would get new parking grounds as per a five-year implementation plan. The RTA officials said that they construct parking provisions for schools that have completed construction, and during the construction of roads projects in various communities.

Eng Maitha Bin Udai, CEO of Traffic and Road Agency at the RTA said: “The following communities will be included in the five-year implementation plan: Al Khawaneej 2, Oud Al Muteena 2, and Nad Al Shiba 4.”

However, parents remain agitated and said more needs to be done by the traffic police to stop parents from parking on footpaths, since the provided space is not enough to accommodate all parents and students. Some parents also said that parents with four-wheel drive vehicles are ‘common culprits’ of parking on the footpath. Many schools have high numbers of students who opt out of using school transport. Martin D’souza whose daughter is a student of Gems Winchester School, Dubai said: “Over 100 parents drop and pick their children in their cars. There is not enough space in these parking lots to accommodate all the parents.” Parents like D’souza also suggested that it would be good if people show some civic sense while picking and dropping their kids.

One such parent Sibte Arif, whose daughter attends Dubai Mirdif School, said: “This is a common sight near Algeria street, in front of Dubai Modern Education School. During morning and afternoon hours, this is a common sight near Mizhar (Khawaneej Road). There are few schools in the area where I have observed this practice by parents.”

He said: “If parents do this, how will their kids learn civic sense? Parents need to teach their kids to be a good and responsible citizens of Dubai.”

dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com