Abu Dhabi to introduce paid parking in Mussaffah

System takes effect from January 12 as authorities aim to ease traffic flow

Parking payments can be made at payment machines, by using the Darb and Tamm apps or by text

Abu Dhabi is to introduce paid parking in Mussaffah from January 12.

The first phase will cover sectors M1, M2, M3, M4 and M24, with plans for possible expansion in the future. The move was announced through state news agency Wam on Monday by Q Mobility, which operates the emirate's Mawaqif parking system, as well as the Darb road tolls.

It comes amid moves to introduce paid parking in major suburbs off Abu Dhabi island that did not previously have such charges.

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The paid parking system will be introduced in Mussaffah. Victor Besa / The National

Mussaffah is an industrial and commercial area. It is home to factories, car workshops and scores of warehouses, while it is becoming increasingly busy.

The area has undergone a transformation in the past decade, with cafes, restaurants, schools, churches and residential blocks opening, along with new street lights and parking bays. Authorities also addressed the abandoned and damaged vehicles that were once common there.

The Wam report stated there was an increasing demand for public parking and “challenges have emerged, including difficulty in finding available spaces and random parking, which impacts on traffic flow and mobility efficiency within the area”.

It said the introduction of paid parking aimed to address those challenges by regulating parking and improving the movement of traffic.

The total number of parking spaces in the first phase will reach 4,680, including spots for people with disabilities. Motorists are to be charged Dh2 ($0.54) an hour for standard parking spaces. Payment can be made on the Darb and Tamm apps, by text and by using on-site payment machines.

Other suburbs have come under the paid system recently. Q Mobility introduced paid parking in the commercial sectors of Mohamed bin Zayed City last month and the outer areas of the rapidly expanding Al Shahamah area in November. Al Shahamah has also seen the development of schools, malls and community facilities.

In July, Q Mobility said additional paid zones had been activated on Abu Dhabi island at Eastern Mangroves, Dolphin Park, some sectors along Al Khaleej Al Arabi Street and Al Qurm Plaza. Standard parking in Abu Dhabi is Dh2 an hour, with premium parking costing Dh3 an hour.

Q Mobility was established in 2024 by Abu Dhabi-based investment and holding company ADQ to manage, operate and develop the Darb toll system and Mawaqif. The company operates under the supervision of the Department of Municipalities and Transport.