Landmark plan – all the way to your door
Of those people, we can probably include the officials behind the current – admittedly confusing and now outdated – system of street and community numbering.
That idea came about to end the use of antiquated landmark-based addresses, where a company or resident would describe where they were based by using well-known buildings or structures – the Clock Tower roundabout, say, or Park and Shop, in Al Wasl Road.
Now, driven by the unprecedented growth of the city, the emirate’s address system is to undergo its biggest overhaul for years, with properties being given numbers, and streets being assigned names.
Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) is behind the programme – being piloted in Jumeirah 3 – which will eventually lead to home deliveries of letters, parcels and bills.
Moreover, companies at the frontline – from courier firms to Emirates Post – have welcomed the programme, insisting it will enable them to get an item from A to B with the minimum of fuss.
Mana Al Suwaidi, Director of Marketing at Emirates Post, said: “We are working closely with the authorities to develop a modern and streamlined postal addressing system.
“The ultimate goal is to integrate our system [with theirs] to implement door-to-door delivery. As far as the RTA is concerned, we have regular meetings to study their addressing system and offer our input.
“Emirates Post’s new postal addressing system will bring in remarkable improvement in the way we deliver mail to residences and businesses,” he said.
Samer Hajjar, Aramex General Manager for Dubai and the Northern Emirates, said: “The RTA’s proposed address system will help simplify the delivery process, helping Aramex’s ground couriers locate addresses faster and more accurately.
“If this system does go into effect, we would likely integrate it into our distribution network and existing GPS technology.
“Once rolled out, it would enhance the delivery timings of our domestic and express shipments, resulting in higher volumes and increased operational efficiency. We trust that the Dubai Government will implement a practical and well-planned system that will greatly benefit both companies and residents.”
Derek Tully, UAE Operations Manager for global courier DHL, said: “The new address system will ease the process of sorting shipments. If full addresses are provided, couriers will not have to contact the consignee to get the address details, therefore speeding up the delivery of packages.
“Without doubt, the new address system will ease the process of sorting shipments as all necessary information and details are provided without the need to contacting consignee.
“DHL always welcomes initiatives that allow us to provide our customers with a better service.”
The RTA said it was not looking for inspiration from European countries, where postal services have been in use for centuries. These are generally considered to be in decline – recording negative growth in the United Kindom in 2005-2006, according to most-recent figures – where the advent of e-mail has reduced nations’ dependency on so-called “snail mail”. The RTA has long realised Dubai’s address system was in need of a serious overhaul. It says the changes will enable people to find where they are – and where they need to be – will improve the efficiency of emergency services, and will enable letters and packages to be delivered to homes and business, instead of PO boxes.
As well as street names, colour-coded road signs that state the names of areas and the direction to main routes, have also been introduced in a pilot programme along Sheikh Zayed Road .
“This project is tailor-made to Dubai and its culture and road systems; we are not going to replicate the international system, but we are going to take it into account and see how we can adapt and mould it for Dubai,” said an RTA spokesman.
“The city will have its very own system that is suitable and adaptable to where we are. The names of roads would be based on Dubai’s culture – drawing from marine life, desert life, and the traditions of the bedouin.
“There will be a committee which will decide the names of the streets. The committee will consist of officials and elderly people. They will go back to tradition [for inspiration], the things our ancestors were known for and exist to this day,” he said.
“If an area is on the coast then it will likely have a name that is related to the sea or the old pearl heritage. We implemented the current system [of numbers] because we found it necessary at the time, but things have changed.
“Where there were once considerably fewer properties and buildings, there are more interchanges, routes, roads, and developments. So this change is integral and having an address system is needed. We like to succeed in all aspects and we are sure this will be a success.”
Perhaps now is a good time to start importing letterboxes…