Drivers pay double as Salik cap lifted

Motorists in Dubai and Sharjah are paying as much as double for Salik tolls after the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) removed the daily Dh24 cap.

The cap, which had been in place since Salik began in 2007, meant motorists would be charged for a maximum of six trips, irrespective of how many more trips they made. But the RTA scrapped the cap on July 15.

Motorists commuting between Dubai and Sharjah have been forced to change their driving habits to cut costs.

Passenger transport businesses and delivery boys are at the sharp end of the abolishment.

The RTA announced the abolishing of the cap early in July claiming only 5 per cent of road users would be affected.

Many motorists questioned how it would it help reduce traffic if such a small proportion of drivers were affected.

Each Salik trip costs Dh4 and the introduction of two new Salik gates in April on Al Ittihad road and at the Airport Tunnel took the number to six.

Other Salik gates are located on Al Garhoud Bridge and Al Maktoum Bridge and on Shaikh Zayed Road at Al Safa and Al Barsha.

via GulfNews.com.