Free parking spots have been implemented for motorcycles in Abu Dhabi City for six months, which will be a sigh of relief for the thousands of deliverymen in the UAE capital.

The Department of Municipal Affairs and Transport has announced the implementation of 546 parking spaces for motorcycles, which will be free until August 2017.

“Ten sectors are included in the first stage of the implementation and are free of charges for the first six months,” said Mohammed Al Muhairi, Parking Division (Mawaqif) Director.

However, as pleased as drivers are to hear about the free parking spaces, there are concerns they would have to cough up parking charges.

Asim Shazad, 30, who works for Emirates Post as a delivery driver, said though it is not too difficult to find parking spaces for motorbikes, designated spots would certainly ease any hassle.

“But if we have to pay for the parking after six months, thousands of deliverymen will be hit badly,” said Shazad, who moved to the UAE from Pakistan four years ago.

He pointed out that motorcyclists make multiple deliveries each day, and thus must park multiple times.

“We hardly earn AED 2000 to AED 2500 a month, and now many restaurants are paying even lesser,” he said.

Jahid Mohammed, another delivery boy, said it worries him if he will have to pay for parking.

“I make around 50 deliveries each day, and if they charge us for parking, I would end up burning half of my salary.”

“I really hope it stays free, otherwise I would have to change my job,” said Mohammed.

Where to park for free

546 parking spaces were implemented in ten sectors with 108 within those sectors; Forty-six of which are located in seven spots within sectors E16.

In sector E16-01, 12 different locations have 58 parking spaces.  Another 17 locations included 65 parking spaces in sector E16-02. 77 parking spaces in 13 locations within sector E18-02. There are also 75 parking spaces in sector E15. Four locations in sector E13 included 18 parking spaces.

Mawaqif has also implemented 115 parking spaces in 26 locations within sector E4-01. In sector E7-01, there were 18 parking spaces in two different locations. 41 parking spaces in five different locations in sector W2. In sector W9, five locations included 33 parking spaces.