Dubai speed limits cut, more road humps - report

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A board set up to review traffic accidents across Dubai is set to recommend cutting speed limits on certain roads.

The Speed Management Strategy Project has been in operation since June under the auspice of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and several stakeholders. Shortly it will release a document known as the ‘speed manual’ which will raise recommendations on which roads to change the limits, following site surveys.

The manual will also include a section about ‘defining and enhancing the basic engineering elements set for addressing dangerous speeds’ – which is likely to mean the introduction of more ‘traffic calming’ measures such as road humps.

However, the RTA is also keen to point out that increasing ‘urbanisation’ can play a role in reducing speeds. This concept, also known as ‘shared space’ includes pedestrian and cycle movement directly alongside traffic streams.

The practice has worked well in areas such as cities in the Netherlands, which enjoy a high level of driver education, but less well in cities such as Mumbai, where the accident rate is dismal, despite the relatively low speeds. However, the RTA is also keen to point out that driver awareness schemes are critical to any schemes success.

Eng. Maitha bin Udai, CEO of RTA Traffic & Roads Agency said about the contents of the speed manual: "Adhering to the fixed driving speed is one of the highly effective measures in minimising traffic accidents. Speed fixing mechanism is based on accurate engineering standards including the designed driving speed, actual driving speed level observed by most drivers, urbanisation level on both sides of the road, pedestrian movement, schools and mosques, traffic volume, and the high possibility of sustaining [multi-car pile up] accidents.”