No free parking on Saturdays at DCC

Before you head out to the mall for your weekend indulgence, you must know that the parking routine has changed. At least, for one mall.

The Deira City Centre parking has gone from being free to being paid on Saturdays.

Now, shoppers will have to pay for every hour, over the first “free” four hours of parking.

“From Saturday – Thursday, City Centre Deira offers 4 hours of free parking for mall visitors, and free parking all day on Friday,” the mall’s management said in an e-mail statement to Emirates24|7.

The reason behind implementing the “new car policy”, it added, was to “ensure mall patrons can access parking spaces quickly and conveniently”.

“It serves to discourage drivers who are not visiting the mall from using the parking facilities.

“After implementing the new policy, City Centre Deira have seen positive results, instantly. It was found that the new parking policy has reduced the mall’s car park being occupied by ‘non-visitors’ by 15 per cent and increased the turnover of cars inside the car park by 12 per cent on a peak time such as on Saturdays.”

Vox Cinemas at Deira City Centre also offers their patrons an extra hour of free parking if they get their tickets validated at their counters.

In Dubai, some malls have converted their parking slots to paid zones over the weekdays, while some continue to offer free parking throughout the week without any exception.

The Dubai Mall, Mirdif City Centre, Dubai Festival City, Oasis Centre, Ibn Battuta are some of the malls that offer free parking through the week, while Mall of the Emirates and Burjuman mall are free over the weekend.

During the week, MoE clocks the same system as Deira City Centre, while Burjuman gives the first two hours free, and charges thereon. Cine-goers at Burjuman can get their parking ticket validated and get parking for free.

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