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28 March 2024

Traffic chaos near schools has Springs and Meadows in a jam

Published
By Majorie von Leijen

Residents of gated communities the Springs and Meadows here in Dubai are guaranteed at least two huge traffic jams, five days a week.

This is because of parents dropping and picking up their children to and from two schools in the area, both situated at the junction between Springs and Meadows.

Between 7 and 8 in the morning, and between 2 and 3 in the afternoon traffic in the area becomes a nightmare for motorists as hundreds of vehicles are parked around the schools, with an equal number moving in and out.

In addition to the already heavy traffic on this road and the incoming flow of traffic from the recently-opened Western Parallel Road, connecting Jumeirah Lakes Towers to the area, the junction between the Springs and the Meadows gets completely jammed.

Two big schools - Emirates International School and Dubai British School - are conveniently located next to the road coming from the junction.

Parents who have not signed up for the school buses hit the road to bring their children to school, and pause once that destination is reached to drop off their children causing a huge tailback.

Bill Carter (59) from the UK, adds. "There are three lanes at that junction and this morning I had the misfortune to be behind someone in the middle lane who decided to stop and let their children out in the middle of the traffic. There are “marshals” there trying to direct the traffic but they just get ignored."

"I don't drive, but my husband does. He needs to take this road to get to work, and it takes him 40 minutes to get out of the Springs every morning, says a European woman AA, living in Springs 4.

And not only vehicles encounter the heavy traffic at that hour of the day.

Eighteen-year-old Chris from Denmark takes the school bus to Jebel Ali every day. "This bus picks up passengers from Springs 1 and 2, so it has no other choice but to use this road towards Jebel Ali. It is stuck at the junction for 30 minutes every day."

Springs and the Meadows are served by two roads: one leading east towards Dubai Marina and one leading north towards Barsha or south towards Jebel Ali.

"The latter road is a relief, there is no traffic at all," says Andrew (36) from the UK, a resident of Spings 4 who works in Jebel Ali and does not need to use the road leading eastwards.

It is at the junction where the traffic starts piling up.

"Springs 1 and 2 residents are specifically bothered", says one of the security guards in the Springs, adding: “Anybody heading east will find it hard to avoid the traffic jams .

Staff at Emirates International School acknowledges the problem.

"It is very crowded every morning and afternoon when children are starting or finishing their school days," says a spokesperson.

High school principal David Hicks told this website that that Emirates International School is meeting with RTA to find a solution to the problem.

At the moment of writing, Emirates 24/7 has not yet been informed about the nature of the plans.