Curfews aim to curb Sharjah lorry misery

Authorities in Sharjah have imposed lorry curfews on some routes where they were said to be causing congestion and accidents. The changes take effect on Tuesday and mean that lorries may not use the Sharjah-Al Dhaid road from Intersection 7 to Al Dhaid town between 5.30am and 9.30am. Lorries carrying rocks for construction were causing long traffic jams and accidents in the Al Dhaid district, according to Sharjah residents and officials. The district, in eastern Sharjah, is in the path of vehicles taking stone from the Fujairah mountains to Dubai.

An Al Dhaid Police, Traffic and Accidents department official said there were at least one accident a day and up to three deaths a month, on the road. Lorries will be banned between 5.30am and midnight on the ring road from the fifth Industrial Square to Waset Square station. Three curfews will be enforced between Al Badea intersection and the fifth Industrial Square: 5:30am to 9:30am, 1pm to 3pm and 5.30pm to 9.30pm. Lorries will also be banned altogether on Maliha Road from Al Badea intersection to Kalbaa city.

Details of the changes and detours have been posted in the affected areas. In a joint statement released yesterday via WAM, the state news agency, the General Department of Public Works and Sharjah Police said the move would "provide convenience for other road users and ensure traffic flow". [e-mail]