Abu Dhabi may raise speed limits on roads

Abu Dhabi emirate intends to change speed limits on its roads and the plan involves both reducing and increasing the limit, depending on the location and traffic flow, the emirate’s traffic chief was reported on Tuesday as saying.

A joint committee grouping the traffic police, the municipality and the Department of Transport is conducting a study on the project and it is expected to be completed by the end of 2013, Brigadier Hussein Al Harthi said.

Quoted by Dubai-based Albayan Arabic language daily, he said the plan was prompted by road improvements and development projects in the emirate, adding that it covers all roads in the capital, the eastern oasis town of Al Ain and the Western region.

“The speed limit will be reduced on roads near schools, residential areas, shopping centres and other densely-populated areas,” he said.
“At the same time, it could be increased on other roads away from those areas as well as motorways depending on the location and the nature of the area.”

Harthi said the plan gives priority to safety of road users and efforts to cut traffic accidents within a strategy designed to reduce road casualties.

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