• Home

On-road vehicle emission measurement survey on

DUBAI — The Dubai Municipality (DM) is undertaking an on-the-road vehicle emission measurement survey using remote sensing devices in order to formulate effective strategies and policies to control vehicle emissions which account for over 75 per cent of the city's air pollution.

The survey, which began in April this year, will last for eight months and will be carried out at some 200 locations across the city.

Representatives of Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), Dubai Police Traffic Department, Federal Environment Agency and officials and staff of the concerned departments at the municipality were briefed about the survey project on May 21.

The survey is being carried out by the DM in cooperation with RTA and Dubai Police.

Abdullah Raffia, Assistant Director General of DM for Environment and Public Health Affairs said the initiative was aimed at collecting the on-road vehicle emission data and comparing the same with the data collected at the Central Emission Testing Centre and authorised vehicle testing branches.

"Vehicle emission accounts for 75 to 80 per cent of Dubai's air pollution. The rest of the pollution comes from emissions from manufacturing industries and power plants. This survey will enhance the process of identification and reporting of vehicles that emit excessive smoke. It will help us to lay down effective strategies and policies to control vehicle emissions," said Raffia.

"The remote sensing technology will do away with the need to connect the testing device physically to a vehicle," he added.

Redha Salman, head of the Environment Protection and Safety Section at the municipality said this concept was a more efficient tool to identify excessive polluters compared to the traditional emission testing and control programmes. "The survey will show the drivers the emission levels of their vehicles. It will encourage them to go for vehicle tuning so as to reduce the emission level," said Salman.

The emission measurement shall cover taxis, buses being used for public transport, schools, and labourers, heavy vehicles such as trucks, trailers as well as private and public cars.

As per the current rules, vehicles with excessive emission are fined Dh300 after the reports presented by inspectors of the Environment Protection and Safety Section at the municipality. Between 1999 and 2006, some 1,115 vehicles have been reported for excessive emission.

• UAE