Get ready for morning rush as Sharjah schools reopen on Sunday

Sharjah - Preparations made for smooth transportation of students

The nightmarish morning traffic rush on Dubai-Sharjah roads is set to be back from Sunday, thanks to reopening of Sharjah schools. Dubai schools reopened on September 5.
The Sharjah Police have put all preparations in place for school reopening and necessary measures are being taken to ensure smooth and safe transportation of students.
Major Abdulrahman bin Khater, director of the media section at the Traffic Department of Sharjah Police, told Khaleej Times: "The police have put up a plan for the school opening which includes deployment of traffic patrols and air wing patrols to monitor the traffic. Students will receive gifts and awareness publications, including brochures. The department will also organise awareness lectures for school bus drivers and supervisors before the start of the academic year. The police will also identify the areas that witness frequent accidents and places of traffic jams to increase its patrols."
Khater said every year before the beginning of the school year, the police coordinate with various departments to review issues and find solutions. The police distributed awareness leaflets containing instructions for bus drivers, parents and teaching staff. Safety information is also spread through social media.

Meanwhile, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) in Sharjah has announced that it will close a section of Alatin-6 bridge crosses from Sunday, September 10 to September 24.



A report published earlier by Khaleej Times showed that school bus trips accounted for 13 per cent of the total volume of trips during the morning rush hours in Dubai. Statistics showed that the number of students in public and private schools in Dubai in 2016 was about 295,000.
This means that 88 per cent of students in Dubai use private vehicles to travel to their schools, which increases congestion and environmental pollution. This is aggravated by the low occupancy rate of school buses - 53 per cent.
Through a comprehensive study for managing the demand on transport, the RTA is currently studying flexible working hours and staggering the working hours and school hours.

• Sharjah