New fuel stations outside city areas

New fuel stations outside city areas
By Ahmed Abdul Aziz (Our staff reporter/KHALEEJ TIMES) 17 June 2008

ABU DHABI — New permanent fuel stations would be allowed only outside the city areas and mobile stations would be set up on the highways to reduce rush at the gas stations in the capital and in other emirates, according to Colonel Ghaith Al Zaabi, Director-General of the Federal Traffic and Patrol Department of the Ministry of Interior (MoI).

Colonel Al Zaabi told Khaleej Times yesterday that the meeting with ADNOC officials last week recommended to establish new stations in the remote areas, where there is a need for them, in addition to setting up mobile stations on the highways to reduce the rush at the petrol stations in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Northern Emirates.

Al Zaabi attributed the rush at ADNOC stations to the low prices, which are about 50 per cent less in comparison with the other companies.

He added the premises of the new stations would be decided after studying the geographic surveys. "Moreover, the department will set fixed hours for the trucks to fill diesel in case they need it when they are inside the cities."

The MoI and ADNOC will increase the number of diesel dispensing units at the fuel stations to meet the increase in the number of trucks in the country. The MoI's latest statistics showed that the total number of vehicles (trucks, heavy and light cars) has reached 1.8 million this year.

The decision to move fuel stations out of the city limits is due to the heavy rush at the ADNOC stations across the emirates.