Sharjah needs fresh thinking about its traffic problems

Sharjah's traffic problems call for some seriously imaginative and perhaps outrageous solutions, writes Maryam Ismail

Traffic near the National Paints roundabout in Sharjah. (Jeff Topping / The National)

Accidents and rubberneckers are part of the daily problems faced by those who commute between Sharjah and Dubai. My poor husband leaves home every day at 5.30am to avoid the mayhem of rush hour.

Before Al Khan bridge was rebuilt, it was worse as there were only two narrow lanes on which cars moved in opposite directions. As a result accidents took place every day, clogging the bridge for hours.

Now the bridge has been widened, enabling drivers to manoeuvre their way more easily. In the process they make driving more stressful, but at least the traffic keeps moving. “They keep building roads, but that does not help,” one driver told me.

One solution to this problem would be to introduce an efficient public transport system. Although there are public buses, they are expensive and their number is inadequate. The sight of beachgoers traipsing on the edge of the sandy road as they make their way to and from their hotels signals that more needs to be done.

Sharjah introduced a bus service in 2009.

At that time it seemed to work well. It cost Dh2 per person. Then the fare was raised to Dh5 and the prepaid Sayer card was introduced. These cards were meant only for Sharjah buses and the balance is not transferable.

“A metro connecting Sharjah to Dubai is a better option,” my friend suggested. She is right. It cost me more than Dh350 to take my son to Dubai by taxi and bus and show him around.

So, for a person like me, getting a car should be a sensible option. But wait. Why should I add to the pollution and cause so much harm to others as well as to the environment?

There is a rent-a-bike option in Sharjah, but it’s extremely expensive.

A public bicycle sharing scheme similar to the one sponsored by Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank might change my mind. Customers can either buy a one-day pass for Dh15 or a three-day pass at Dh40, which offers the first 30 minutes of the ride free.

Imagine if people could cycle to Mamzar and then take a bus or a metro from there. Thousands would benefit in so many ways – less stress, less pollution, less money and more exercise.

Obviously, walking represents another good option. However, the heat, pedestrian-unfriendly roads and erratic urban planning make this almost impossible at some times of the year. Frankly, I am tired of slugging through the sand and worrying that I might get run over by a car. How about some shaded walkways? That might work.

Whether it’s helping people to manoeuvre traffic or rearranging the roads, there needs to be some imaginative and, perhaps, outrageous solutions.

There is a lot that can be done. I hope Sharjah will come up with some solutions to make life easy for people who try to get home before their children go to bed.

Maryam Ismail is a sociologist and teacher who divides her time between the US and the UAE