17 May, 2007

Less CLEAR by the day?

Interesting comment in today's Gulf News, another in the ongoing and increasingly public spat between Dubai Police and the RTA. Brigadier Mohammad Saif Al Zafein states on the record what I and many others have thought and said privately, that any form of Toll is ineffective unless there is a credible alternative - public transport, metro, alternative untolled routes and so on, none of which presently exist. Buses are too few and overcrowded, the metro is some years from operation, and many of the necessary alternative roads are either pipe-dreams in the RTA or routed through residential areas - Shk Zayed Road traffic diverted to Al Wasl and Jumeirah Beach Roads, anyone?

This is the first time I have seen in print any suggestion that SALIK should be delayed. I wonder who's feifdom it is?

The full story can be read HERE

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm not surprised Saif Al Zafeen has spoken. On occasions that media persons have met him, he has always been forthcoming.

I also think that there are some inner sanction members who have given him their nod of approval to go ahead and voice his concerns.

I'm eagerly awaiting RTA's response on this, and there will be one soon.

Seabee said...

sin, I'm not sure that there will be a response. I've been following the story & posting on my blog about the spat - and the RTA - for some time. The Brigadier's earlier criticisms of the RTA haven't had a response from anybody that I've seen.

Anonymous said...

I've heared that it is cancelled

B.D. said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
B.D. said...

Did you read the reader comments at the article. There is 100% agreement in support of the police official. Don't think I ever recall all in a long list of comments being in agreement with each other. I generally support the efforts of RTA to work things out in Dubai, but they are really off the mark on this one. Interesting to see this public spat between officials. Hopefully logic will win out.

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