Car drives 500m down Dubai Tram tracks

A car had to be removed from the Dubai Tram line on Sunday morning after its driver travelled some 500 metres along the tracks, according to a witness.

The vehicle looks to have deviated from Al Marsa Street in Dubai Marina at a junction where the track and the road are level and ended up a distance along the line, coming to a halt opposite Dubai Marina Mall.

The incident occurred at about 5am and police were on the scene within minutes to remove the vehicle.

Colonel Saif Muhair Al Mazrouei, director of the traffic department at Dubai Police, confirmed the incident.

“An Arab driver drove along the tram tracks in the marina at 5am. The incident took place in front of Marina Mall,” he said.

“Dubai Police rescue teams have dealt with the incident and lifted the stuck vehicle.”

Colonel Al Mazrouei added that the necessary steps to instigate legal proceedings against the driver have been taken.

The incident is not the first involving a car and Dubai Tram. In September 2015 a driver jumped a red light on Al Sufouh Street and crashed into a tram. The 43-year-old driver was jailed for a month and fined Dh3,000 in October last year.

In February 2015, three months after the tram had launched, police said there had been 1,400 traffic violations involving the tram as motorists got used to new rules brought into force.

For instance, jumping a red light at an intersection with the tram and causing an accident that involves a fatality is punishable by a fine of up to Dh30,000 and the driver would have their licence revoked for up to 12 months. Jumping a red light at an intersection with the tram leading to an accident that involves injuries is punishable by a fine of between Dh5,000 and Dh15,000 and revocation of a licence for up to six months.