A new road charge will be rolled out in Abu Dhabi in October, transport officials have confirmed.
Four tollgates will be placed at bridges in the capital as part of an effort to slash levels of congestion and encourage people to use more environmentally-friendly forms of transport.
With just a few short months until the new system is brought into force, motorists are now getting geared up for a major change in their daily commute.
What is the new road charge?
It is a cashless road toll, similar to the Salik scheme in place in Dubai since 2007, in which drivers are charged every time that travel through a designated point.
Where will the tollgates be?
The tollgates will be placed at Al Maqtaa, Mussafah, Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Khalifa bridges.
Al Maqta Bridge was once the only bridge off the main island. Photo: The National
When will the scheme be introduced?
The Department of Transport has announced that the scheme will be launched on Tuesday, October 15.
How much will it cost?
Unlike the Salik toll, which has a flat rate of D4 charged on each occasion you pass through the tollgate, regardless of the time, there will be peak and off-peak charges.
Drivers will be charged Dh4 during the peak period of 7am to 9am and 5pm to 7pm, Saturday to Thursday.
A Dh2 off-peak fee will be charged outside of these times, as well as on Fridays and public holidays.
How much can I pay in a single day?
For those making multiple journeys, there is good news. A maximum charge of Dh16 will be imposed per day, regardless of how journeys through a tollgate a driver makes.
Can I pay using my Salik tag?
In short, no. While the congestion charging systems in Abu Dhabi are similar, they are operated independently of each other. Motorists passing through the seven tollgates in Dubai require a tag on their car which activates a payment each time the driver passes the toll point. However, there will be no such tag in use for the Abu Dhabi system.
So, how will the Abu Dhabi toll work?
All Abu Dhabi-registered vehicles will be automatically registered on an online system, which will go live on August 30, at no charge. Payment of the toll fee will be made through an e-wallet, which can be topped up when necessary.
What if my car is registered outside Abu Dhabi?
Drivers must register their vehicle details in the online system in advance of the scheme coming into effect. A grace period of ten business days will be given, from the crossing time, to register in the system.
Can I be fined if I don't register?
Motorists who drive through a gate without having enough credit to pay will be given five business days to top up their account. After a 10 working day grace period, fines for unregistered vehicles using the tollgates will be Dh100 for the first day, Dh200 for the second day and Dh400 for a third day, up to a maximum of Dh10,000.
Crossing a tollgate without sufficient balance in a user’s account for vehicles registered outside Abu Dhabi will be Dh50 per day.
Are there any exemptions?
Ambulances, armed forces and civil defence vehicles, public buses, motorcycles, licensed taxis, authorised schoolbuses, passenger buses carrying at least 26 passengers, police and Ministry of Interior vehicles, electric vehicles and trailers will be exempt from the tolls.
Why is the charge being introduced?
The Department of Transport said the new road charge is being rolled out in an effort to reduce traffic in the city, ease congestion for commuters and encourage people to make use of more eco-friendly options such as public transport, car pooling and electric cars.