Further persuasion and facilities required for drivers to change fuel

Essa Ali Al Hosani, director of technical and workshops, branch checks a gas-fuelled patrol cars elonging to Ajman Police. Satish Kumar / The National

AJMAN // Efforts to persuade residents to use natural gas as fuel for their cars are not as convincing as may have been hoped.

Ajman exempts natural gas vehicles (NGVs) from parking fees in the emirate but residents said that many areas already had free parking and the paid areas were so busy that an exemption would make little difference.

Omar Tanira, a Palestinian who has lived in Ajman all his life, liked the idea of using natural gas but was wary of problems if he converted his car to use it.

“I want to make sure that all gas stations are provided with the gas and my car agency can repair it [a converted car],” the 24-year-old said.

Yousef Sulaiman, 32, who has lived in Ajman for eight years, has similar concerns.

“I am ready to pay and convert but what if the gas has finished during my long trips to Abu Dhabi, for example?” he said. “Before any conversion, all stations should be provided with gas.”

The Jordanian bank employee said parking in popular places in Ajman did not need to be paid for, so the municipality’s campaign to persuade people to change was not that motivational.

“The parking at my residential building is paid but most of the time I don’t find parking,” he said. “So even if I convert my car, I still won’t find parking. And the vital places, such as Ajman Corniche, city centre and Safeer Mall, are all unpaid.”

The municipality hoped to increase the use of NGVs, the cleaner alternative to other fossil fuels, to help the environment. “These cars fight disastrous environmental phenomena and add to a healthy society where carbon emissions are cut through the use of alternative clean energy, especially on streets when there are traffic jams,” said Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Chairman of Ajman Municipality.