FUJAIRAH // Residents are calling for improved public transport after the nationwide fuel price increase, saying the network in Fujairah is lacking and there are no connections to other emirates.
“If I want to leave the car and take my kids to the city centre I will definitely take a cab – there is no public transport that would take me there,” said Mohra Sultan.
The 28-year-old Emirati said that if the fuel price increase was aimed at helping the environment, it was not likely to be achieved in Fujairah where public transport is in short supply.
“As I understand, one of the reasons the Government increased the price of fuel is to minimise the use of private cars and save the environment by making people rely on public transportation, which can’t be achieved here in our area.”
Fujairah Transport Corporation (FTC) operates a bus service from Fujairah city to Dibba Al Fujairah. It stops at Murbah, Khor Fakkan and Dibba Al Hisn but many residents live too far from the route for it to be of use and there are limited inter-emirate services.
J R Andes, 29, who works in a shop on Hamad bin Abdullah Street in Fujairah city, said that he must pay an extra Dh30 a month after the price increase. “I share a car with three coworkers to take us to work every day and bring us back home,” said the Filipino. “The car owner used to take from us Dh300 for only a 10-minute drive and now we pay him about Dh390 after the fuel increase.
“If there was a bus or any public transport that would pass by our route, that would definitely be cheaper. It would save each one of us around Dh70 each month and, for me, this amount is considered a great saving compared to my salary.”
Many residents are not satisfied with the external bus services, which only runs to Dubai and sometimes Sharjah, leaving residents no other choice.
Egyptian Kareem Marzoq, 30, who works at a typing centre, said: “The increase will affect me like the rest of the residents and there are no alternatives.
“Public transport has been like this since I moved here almost five years ago – nothing has changed.
“I drive to Ras Al Khaimah every two days to follow up with our second branch there and I spend more than Dh300 on transport. To use a bus or a train would surely save us money.”
Alaa Al Sroor, 37, a Fujairah resident who has relatives in Abu Dhabi, said that every weekend he used to visit his family. After the fuel increase, however, he has started to think twice.
“It will cost me more now and if I want to use the bus I will waste more than four hours on the road due to the lack of direct transport to Abu Dhabi,” he said. “My children will miss visiting their grandparents. Either they provide direct transportation or they increase our salaries to cover the fuel-price raise.”
FTC was not available for comment.
rhaza@thenational.ae
