Abu Dhabi toll gates to be free outside of rush hour

Drivers will be charged for crossing onto the island between 7-9am and 5-7pm

Drivers will not have to pay for passing through Abu Dhabi's four road toll gates until January 1. Victor Besa / The National

Abu Dhabi's new toll gates will only charge drivers during rush hour, the government said on Sunday.

The Dh4 charge will be levied between 7-9am and 5-7pm.

Previously the plan was to charge Dh2 outside of rush hour and on Fridays.

The gates will be active as of January 2 from Saturday to Thursday. Charges are waived on Fridays.

Drivers must pay Dh4 each time and but the fees are capped at Dh16 per day and Dh200 per month. The monthly cap on a family's second vehicle is Dh150 and Dh100 if they have a third.

Four gates located at the four main bridges connecting Abu Dhabi island with the mainland: Sheikh Zayed, Sheikh Khalifa, Al Maqta and Mussaffah bridges.

The system was set to go live on October 15 but was pushed back to January 1.

At the time, many commuters from outside the emirate said a problem with the text message confirmation system meant they could not complete the registration process.

Drivers outside Abu Dhabi should sign up through a website set up by the Integrated Transport Centre, itps.itc.gov.ae, entering their Emirates ID details, car licence plate, mobile number and email.

The transport centre said it has purchased more than 320 new buses to give commuters more alternatives to private transport and increased the number of buses connecting the suburbs with the city.