Sharjah
Several zebra crossings are set to be built around Al Tawun area in Sharjah by the end of December, easing pedestrian movement in the busy area.
Pedestrian movement in the area is fraught with risk due to non-existence of zebra crossings and lack of traffic lights.
However, things are likely to change soon as Sharjah Roads and Transport Authority (SRTA) planned a makeover of the entire road network in the area.
A spokesperson from SRTA told Gulf News in a statement that roads in the neighbourhood will get new road markings, which will include pedestrian crossings as well.
The repainting of the entire road network will be done by the end of this year, he added.
According to residents of the area, which sees non-stop traffic to and from Dubai, Al Tawun Road is particularly pedestrian-unfriendly.
“It seems there is no respect for pedestrians here. There are no zebra crossings and the drivers don’t stop even when they see women and children crossing. It was high time they built some zebra crossings,” said Mariam Abdullah, a resident of the area. “Hope they install some traffic lights as well,” she added.
Suraiya Khanum, a housewife living near the Sharjah Expo Centre said: “It is good to know that pedestrian crossings will be built in the area. Crossing the streets in the area is highly unadvisable and I can’t walk for any errand. I hope the situation will change once the zebra crossings are in place.”
A spokesperson from Sharjah Police said the police have prepared a report on the requirements for the area and it is for SRTA to implement the report soon.
“Our report focuses on number of road accidents, which has seen an increase due to lack of pedestrian crossings or due to engineering defects on roads,” said Lieutenant Suad Al Sheba, spokesperson for the Traffic and Patrol Department of Sharjah Police.
He added that police patrols were deployed throughout the day to minimise accidents of all types.
However, presence of these patrols make people fear they will be penalised for jaywalking.
“So often, we need to go down and walk across the road for grocery of for dinner, but apart from watching out for speeding vehicles we have to watch out for police vehicles as well,” said Ruwais Masud, who lives behind Al Arab Mall. “I have seen people fined for jaywalking,” he added.
While pedestrians have their share of problems, motorists too are affected due to lack of zebra crossings, with many claiming they have to be extra careful to avoid pedestrians on the road.
Farooq Hasan, a driver, who uses Al Tawun Road often said: “The road is dangerous to drive on. People are forced to jaywalk because there are no designated crossings and the drivers have to be alert not to run over the scurrying pedestrians. It is more risky at night as the visibility is low and it is difficult to see if somebody darts across suddenly.”
