Mall of the Emirates and Deira City Centre in Dubai will begin a free trial period of their parking management system tomorrow (August 9) to ensure customers understand the new plan a month before the system actually starts.

The parking management system was announced last month to ensure that the malls’ customers who use their own transport have adequate parking places once the Dubai Metro service begins on September 9.

The move is designed to deter park and ride Metro users who may use the malls’ parking facilities as Mall of the Emirates and Deira City Centre Metro Stations are so conveniently located.

Starting September 10, visitors to Mall of the Emirates and Deira City Centre will be provided with three hours free parking on weekdays and fours hours at the weekends (Fridays and Saturdays).

For any customers wanting to watch a movie, an extra free hour will be provided on both weekdays and weekends.

During the free trial period from tomorrow until September 9, customers will need to collect a ticket at one of the parking entry stations. Once their visit to the mall is over, the ticket will be assessed at one of the automatic pay machines and finally swiped at the exit barrier.

Applicable fees will only be charged from September 10, a day after the Dubai Metro begins its service. Courtesy parking crews will be stationed around both the malls to help customers adapt to the new system.

The system is based on industry research showing an average of 70 per cent of shoppers spend three hours or less in the malls during the week and four hours or less over the weekend.

Fareed Abdelrahman, vice-president, divisional asset management for Majid Al Futtaim Properties, said that the parking management system has been designed keeping the customers and their interests at heart.

“Our parking management system has been devised to make sure that our shoppers are given the priority they have always received and our parking spaces are always available for them,” said Abdelrahman.

“The new system will not deter customers from either shopping or simply window shopping, catching up with friends and families for meals/coffee or even a movie for that matter. There is ample free time provided in the system. However we needed to strike a balance and therefore the need to arrive at limited free hours so our spaces are not used as park and ride,” he added.

“By introducing the free trial period a month in advance, we want to minimise any inconvenience for our customers and want to give them enough time to familiarize themselves with this new plan.” – TradeArabia News Service