Parked cars left too long will be towed away, traffic authorities warn motorists

Leave your vehicle parked in a public space when you go on holiday and it may not be there when you return, municipal authorities warn.

ABU DHABI // Leave your vehicle parked in a public space when you go on holiday and it may not be there when you return, municipal authorities have warned. More than 2,000 cars have been abandoned in the city in seven months, almost double the figure for all of 2008. The escalating problem has prompted the municipality to step up efforts to deter parking on the city's roads or in much-needed parking spaces for prolonged periods.

Statistics released by Abu Dhabi Municipality yesterday showed that authorities towed and impounded 2,268 vehicles between November 2009 and June 2010. By contrast, 1,140 cars were estimated to have been dumped in the whole of 2008. During all of last year, the municipality towed away only 1,595 cars. Such behaviour, the municipality said, has a negative impact on the city's image and turns vehicles "into a deposit of rubbish, a source of pollution and a haven for rodents".

A towing campaign in Mussafah is in place and the municipality said residents had a social responsibility to co-operate. Inspectors periodically monitor parked cars that are accumulating dust or appear to have been left unattended for several days. A warning notice is posted on the car after a fortnight, and the vehicle is taken away to be impounded at Al Mafraq or Al Wathba after 24 hours if it has not been moved.

Owners seeking to reclaim their vehicles must pay towing fees and other applicable costs, which could exceed Dh2,000. If a car goes unclaimed for an extended period of time, it can be auctioned off.
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