DUBAI: Abu Dhabi’s road toll scheme will finally start on January 2 after charges were earlier suspended for months due to the coronavirus outbreak in the country.
The transport project, initially planned to go live on October 15 last year, will have toll gates installed at three bridges leading to the emirate’s main island: Sheikh Khalifa, Sheikh Zayed, Al-Maqta and Mussaffah bridges, according to the Integrated Transport Center.
We would like to announce the activation of Abu Dhabi toll gate system “DARB” on the bridges leading to & from Abu Dhabi Island: Sheikh Zayed Bridge, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Bridge, Al Maqtaa Bridge and Mussafah Bridge starting from the 2nd January 2021. pic.twitter.com/ctXZvyBP5d
— "ITC" مركز النقل المتكامل (@ITCAbuDhabi) December 8, 2020
Motorists must register and pay Dh100 ($27.23) for the Darb toll gate system although half of their registration payments would be credited back to their account.
Drivers would be charged Dh4 ($1.09) each time they cross one of the toll bridges during the peak traffic periods of 7:00a.m. to 9:00a.m. and 5:00p.m. to 7:00p.m. from Saturday to Thursday. Daily charges have been capped at Dh16 ($4.36) while the maximum monthly toll charge was pegged at Dh200 ($54.45).
The Integrated Transport Center (ITC), part of @AbuDhabiDMT, has called upon vehicle owners in #AbuDhabi to register for the ‘Darb’ toll gate system and activate their accounts via https://t.co/mNhf2FN0xt or via the Darb app. The system will go live from 2 January 2021. pic.twitter.com/KtxLvJ9OsR
— مكتب أبوظبي الإعلامي (@admediaoffice) December 8, 2020
“The predefined monthly cap for the individual vehicles will contribute to a tangible reduction in the charges paid by road users and maintain the goals of the toll system to reduce congestion and enhance the traffic flow, especially at peak times,” ITC said in a statement posted in its website.
“The fees will be deducted automatically from the user’s account balance that is prepaid through an integrated and advanced e-payment wallet. Vehicles will be captured through their plate number without the need to affix any label on the vehicle’s windshield.”
Four community groups – senior Emiratis, retired Emiratis, people of determination, limited-income Emiratis – were exempted from the traffic toll, but would be limited to one vehicle only.
Meanwhile, vehicles exempted from toll gate fees include ambulances, armed forces and civil defense vehicles bearing their number plates and emblems, public buses, public taxi vehicles licensed in Abu Dhabi, authorized school buses, passenger buses with a capacity of 26 passengers and above, police vehicles and motorcycles.
