Emirati residents to get free parking in Dubai

The Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) has developed a parking fee exemption system for UAE nationals taking residence in the vicinity of the current paid parking zones through granting them free parking card permits (Category L), the agency said in a statement.

“It has been decided to allocate parking permits to residents of residential flats depending on the size of accommodation (number of rooms), and the booking of free parking slots for residents of villas and houses in high parking-occupancy areas,” it said.

Maitha bin Udai, CEO of RTA Traffic & Roads Agency, said: “The decision aims to provide safe parking slots for the use of that category of Emiratis at their residence places, and save them from paying fees and fines applicable to parking violations. RTA has recently carried out several studies which concluded to offer such parking spaces through a new mechanism based on the type and size of accommodation in which the Emirati is taking residence within the paid parking zone area.

“The number of permits to be issued to residents of flats will be subject to the size of accommodation (number of rooms) such that one permit will be issued to the occupant of a one- bedroom flat or studio, two permits will be issued to the occupant of a two-bedroom flat, three permits will be issued to the occupant of a 3-bedroom flat, and four permits will be issued to the occupant of a villa or a 4-bedroom flat,” Maitha said.

“Emiratis taking residence in villas and houses in high parking-occupancy areas, who always find it difficult to find a parking slot nearby the house of villa, can book the nearest parking to their homes if they wish. The parking space will be marked with a clear yellow frame and the number of the house or villa in question will be written thereon. A V-category permit will be issued and has to be affixed to the front windshield of the vehicle occupying the parking. Any vehicle that uses such reserved parking without the permit affixed will be issued with a ticket,” she said.

“RTA decided to reserve these parking spaces in keeping with its strategic objectives aimed at improving the quality of services rendered to the community and in response to requests of Emirati customers residing houses or villas within high parking-occupancy areas through providing them with one permanent free parking space for them and their guests,” she added.

“The applicant for such parking spaces has to be a UAE national (holder of a UAE passport), residing in a house or villa only (not a residential flat) located in a high parking-occupancy residential area where it is always difficult to find a parking slot in front the house or villa, provided the application to be supported by the title deed of the property, passport and site layout,” added Maitha.

As for applicants of free parking permits (Category L) for UAE nationals taking residence in the vicinity of the paid parking zones, the applicant has to be a UAE national (holder of a UAE passport), and the application supported by a title deed or lease agreement of the property in which the type of accommodation is to be stated, in addition to the vehicle registration card.

The holder of such permit can avail the paid parking zones free of charge, provided that the exemption is associated with the parking zones affiliated to the parking machines only stated in the permit, being restricted to the vicinity of the residence area. In case of using the permit in other unauthorized parking zones, the holder of the permit will be responsible for the offences that follow including fines and fees as per the parking fines applicable in the emirate.

Earlier last week, the Department of Transport (DoT) had announced its decision to issue free parking permits to Emiratis residing in Abu Dhabi in areas that fall under the Mawaqif paid parking system.

Under the decision, UAE nationals living in residential apartments are to be entitled to obtain two free parking permits and five permits for those who live in or own villas.

Engineer Najib Al Zarooni, General Manager of Parking at the DoT, was quoted by a local newspaper as saying: “According to the DoT’s new resolution for citizens, it allows them to obtain permits to park for free after the submission of required documents.” DoT had started implementing the decision a month back.

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.