RTA Urges Motorists to Show More Humanity
Dubai (UAE): The Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) of Dubai directed its staff tasked with enforcement of traffic control to take more stringent measures against violators who ignore rights of persons with special needs to avail parking in the slots earmarked for them. No doubt, such practice is an explicit violation of traffic law, human values and Article 25 of Federal Law No. 29/2006 governing rights of persons with special needs; which states: "technical specifications required for the use and need of disabled individuals have to be provided for in roads, public vehicles and all modes of road, air and marine transport".
Engineer Maitha Mohammed bin Adai, CEO of the Traffic and Roads Agency, RTA, revealed that in compliance with the directives of H.E. Mattar Al Tayer, RTA Chairman and Executive Director, RTA staff deployed in control areas had intensified their activities with a view to ensure availability of parking areas allotted for persons with special needs. Accordingly, they will issue tickets to violators who misuse and ignore the rights of persons with special needs to park in the slots allotted for them. She urged motorists to show responsibility and good manners; which is a feature of our community, through giving way to persons with special needs in all fields, particularly respecting the parking slots earmarked for them.
"Abilities of persons with special needs are better utilized through removing obstacles in the way of their movement. This requires abiding by the ethical standards of dealing with them and ensuring their requirements in the stipulated made for designs before construction of any installation. Easing movement & transit of this category will enable it to perform its role and contribute to our national development i.e. achieving the principle of availing equal opportunities to all community members. Such facilities and amendments do not only serve persons with special needs, but also elderly, injured persons, individuals with mental and neurological disability, pregnant ladies, children and individuals with optical & audio disability who are in need of such services" Bin Adai said.
She called upon community members to preserve the right of the disabled to lead a happy life and enjoy all services availed by able persons through respecting the privacy of parking spaces earmarked for the use of persons with special needs. This would enable them to reach their destinations with the least efforts.
She also stated that RTA made a number of stipulations in this regard which include: parking slots are to be positioned near the installations, parking surface must not be sandy or stony that can block the movement, parking ground must be painted with a distinct colour to show they are parking areas for the disabled, size of the parking slot is to be larger, signboards have to be erected at site, and a sloping pavement is made to ease off the movement of the disabled' wheelchairs from parking to pavement in a way compatible with areas, entry points and corridors. RTA warned against using any materials that could block the movement such as rough & assorted floors made up from smooth or polished materials, and disentangled hollows on the sloping surfaces.
Engineer Maitha also added that RTA issued traffic privilege cards to serve the disabled and entitle them to park their vehicles in the places they wish to access. A card & a poster are being provided to be placed at the front or rear of the vehicle showing that the owner is disabled. Hence other motorists recognize that they need not press him, appreciate his slow driving speed and assist him with parking his vehicle. She concluded that RTA assigned special attention to persons with special needs and started a comprehensive reformation of roads specifications to enable providing excellent services to them.
Engineer Sultan Al Kutbi, Director Parking & Road Fees Administration, Traffic & Roads Agency, RTA outlined the stipulations specifically made to suit the requirements of persons with special needs. He cited some of the key specifications required in the public buildings such as the gradient of slope shall be reasonable, number of parking for the disabled individuals would be 1.3% of total parking slots, the disabled parking areas would be positioned near the main lifts or entrances, suitable paths have to be provided for loading and unloading in accordance with design standards, and provision of suitable & unimpeded paths from the parking area to the main gates.
He added "In commercial buildings, it is stipulated that the grading of slopes would be 1.12. One of the lifts, corridors in various levels, outdoor & parking paths have to be made according to specifications with sufficient dimensions. A number of disabled parking slots would not be less than 1% of total number of parking slots, parking dimensions have to be according to the approved standard specifications, parking signboards have to be erected and paths have to enable direct movement and with dimensions identical to the approved standard specifications. Disabled parking have to be provided at a rate of one parking for each 75 parking slots of the total number of parking areas in Public Service buildings. They would be as near as possible to the loading and unloading areas near the main entrances and with specifications identical to the approved international standards. Gradient would not be more than 1.12 in pavements, external stairs and areas of changing elevations inside & outside the buildings. Direct and unimpeded paths leading to elevators and main entrance have to be provided. They would be of sufficient width to allow free movement in accordance with the approved standard specifications".
He concluded: "specifications of slopes & corridors stipulate that pavement slopes would be from within the pavement itself. In the event of two successive slopes, a levelled area has to be provided between them with dimensions conforming to the approved standard specifications. All slopes, corridors and stairs have to be fitted with the required warning signals. Gradient would not be more than 1.12 and no vehicle parking has to be positioned in front of the sloping areas. The upper surface of the slope would be even and free from hollow spots that may hinder movement. Slopes have to be fitted with side rails. No supply or sewage system opening has to be positioned in the slopes and special corridors. Width of the slope would not be less than 4 feet and all corridors and slopes have to be fitted with protective rails to prevent from fall at turning points. Slopes and stairs rail have to be extended one foot from the terminal points of the slope and stair."
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© Press Release 2007
