Coronavirus in UAE: Park vehicles properly or face fines, Abu Dhabi motorists told

Some Abu Dhabi motorists are still parking illegally on various streets despite the current exemption of parking fees to ease the burden on community members during the current Covid-19 situation, according to transport authorities.

The Integrated Transport Centre (ITC) at the Department of Municipalities and Transport in Abu Dhabi said owners of vehicles misuse the parking service by casual practices such as parking behind vehicles, double parking, parking in front of fire hydrants, and parking in slots designated for vehicles of people of determination.

"Such practices block the traffic movement, trigger accidents, put the life of people at risk and distort the urban appearance of the city," said the ITC, stressing that motorists should ensure that priorities are respected and avoid undermining the rights of entitled users such as holders of residential parking permits.

The ITC had extended free parking across Abu Dhabi during Ramadan until further notice. The ITC has called on the public to comply with Mawaqif regulations and not to park their vehicles illegally.

Officials also urged motorists to avoid parking in prohibited areas, and park properly in permitted places.

"Streamlining and managing parking spaces would have multiple benefits for traffic, community, economy and the environment such as ensuring the optimal use of the existing parking, reducing the time of searching for parking slots, eliminating casual parking practices, streamlining the traffic flow and improving the security and safety of roads," the ITC said in a statement.

"Parking inspectors are active in all parking areas to ensure compliance with Mawaqif regulations."

Vehicles parked illegally will be towed after informing the customer by an SMS. Illegally parked vehicles will be fined and the penalty charges range from Dh100 to Dh1,000 depending on the severity of the violation. If a violation notification was ignored, Mawaqif will remove vehicles within 24-48 hours.

ismail@khaleejtimes.com

• Abu Dhabi

Ismail Sebugwaawo

ismail@khaleejtimes.com