15,000 cars go off Dubai roads on Car-Free Day

Officials at the Dubai Municipality estimated that around 15,000 vehicles were off the roads in Dubai yesterday as the emirate marked its sixth edition of car-free day.

Talking to Emirates24|7, Hussain Nasser Lootah, Director General of Dubai Municipality, urged companies to get as many cars off the roads as possible, and provide bus transportation for their staff.

“I would urge companies to bring their staff in buses, instead of having them travel individually. It is very important to keep Dubai clean and green.”

“We want to send out a message to Dubai to use public transportation. High-class quality transportation is available.”

When asked what stage his idea to limit car ownership had reached, he said, “The government has invested huge money on mass transportation. So, when we have the alternative, why should we fill our roads with cars? I think the possibility is there, but we need the cooperation from everybody, even private companies.”

The Car-Free Day initiative, in its sixth year, coincided with the UAE’s National Environment Day, and saw 200 government offices and private companies participating in the green drive.

As part of their efforts to encourage Dubai residents to put their green footprint forward, top officials at the Dubai Municipality, RTA and DHA rode the Dubai Metro on Wednesday.

Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Ali Al Nuaimi, member of the Ajman royal family, was also part of the contingent.

They boarded the metro at the Etisalat Station at around 8am, and travelled to the Union station. From there, the contingent walked to the Dubai headquarters.

The parking lot was emptied out, and decked to host a big exhibition to mark car-free day, under the slogan ‘Let’s walk… stop driving’.

Lootah rode to the venue in a bus after attending a “green” marathon at the Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard in Downtown Dubai.

Dubai Municipality handed out free NoL cards to its employees, and its actions like these that Lootah hopes other private firms would innovate and implement. “We hope everybody will chip in and celebrate the day,” he added.

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