The weather proves we need a rail service

Readers discuss the impact of the weather on driving and public transport. Other topics: 4G prices, park-and-ride, tear gassed children and cartoons.

Readers discuss the impact of this week’s weather on road safety in the country. Photo: Courtesy Dubai Police

With regard to your story, UAE authorities mobilise to tackle consequences of Monday's weather (January 20), I think this supports the concept of passenger railway services between Abu Dhabi to Dubai.

It would solve many problems, including eliminating a significant percentage of the commuter traffic. It would also help tourism because there would be fewer cars in the city.

It would work best if combined with increased public services, such as light rail in Abu Dhabi and more parking.

Marinella Busisiwe Fogli, Abu Dhabi

The solution to the problems of more car accidents would seem to be really simple – drivers should maintain a greater distance between themselves and the car ahead.

The trouble is that some drivers use this gap as an opportunity to change lanes and get ahead of others.

This is terrible and the police should make sure they enforce safe driving rules.

Vijay Ramburuth, Dubai

4G prices hold the UAE back

Your editorial (Better data prices will unleash the 4G network's potential, January 20) makes the argument that the high price of 4G data packages in the UAE would be solved by more competition in the market.

I believe the duopoly of Etisalat and du keeps the costs high and is restricting opportunity. If data prices in the UAE were more in line with the rest of the world, there would be a lot more innovation.

My business has started to outsource some elements of our work to other countries because of the problem with data prices. These could be jobs given to locals if we were not so restricted by cost.

Brett Pearson, Abu Dhabi

Whenever there is a monopoly or a duopoly, it makes no difference what consumers think of the price.

But if other telecoms companies are brought in, prices always drop.

John Paravalos, Dubai

When I visit the UK each summer, I only have to pay £5 – about Dh30 – for one month of unlimited data.

Zahid Khokhar, Abu Dhabi

I live in Kuwait, a country that is a fraction of the UAE’s size. But we have three competitors. The UAE needs to open the market to competitors from other countries.

Michael Fessey, Kuwait

More use for park-and-ride

Despite not many people using the park-and-ride service in Abu Dhabi one year after it was introduced, I still think it is a wonderful initiative to encourage people to leave their cars behind and use public transport (Park-and-ride at Zayed Sports City underutilised, January 20).

There is a need to educate people, especially the working population, on the benefits of using public transport for the daily commute and how it affects the environment in a positive way, reduces traffic on the roads and saves hassle.

Fatima Suhail, Sharjah

One way to increase the number of users would be more publicity. Details of the bus routes should be made available and advertised.

If contact is made directly with the businesses on the bus route, they could let their workers know and more people might decide to use the service.

This would free up much-needed parking spaces in the city for others.

Jacqueline Wood, Abu Dhabi

One way to make it more popular would be to create bus-only lanes so that the service is faster.

Name withheld by request

It is barbaric to tear-gas children

After reading your story, Kenya police fire tear gas at children over disputed playground (January 20), my reaction is that this is absolutely inhuman and barbaric.

This is terribly sad. I think it is shameful for the police to have used tear gas to disperse young children.

The officer in charge should be sacked for blindly following orders and using such extreme measures against these children.

Name withheld by request

Cartoons are just cartoons

In relation to your story, New Charlie Hebdo cartoons will 'stir hatred' (January 14), they do not evoke that reaction in me and I can't be the only one who is emotionally intelligent enough to realise that cartoons are just that – cartoons.

Instead, I honour my Muslim friends by not bringing the subject into the conversation.

Jen Bishop, Abu Dhabi