Trucks continue to jam residential roads near Taawun Mall much to the dismay of residents and motorists.

Heavy vehicle drivers are adhering to traffic rules thtrucat dictate they take the Sharjah Ring Road route, however, the problems occur when trucks are forced to take the inner roads in order to get across to the ring road.

“The traffic jam at the Taawun Mall junction is a daily occurrence, especially at 9.30am when everyone drives to work. Police don’t bother to stop other cars, and there should be police patrols,” said Shakeel Ahmad.

Lines of trailers can be seen from Qanat Al Qasba all the way to Al Taawun Mall, which is a daily occurrence for Sharjah residents who have to wade through the trucks.

“The congestion is all the way from Khalid Port to Al Khan Road, Al Taawun Road, Troy University Roundabout and all roads within the industrial areas. They are always clogged during rush-hour timings in the morning and at night,” said Shaheen.

Most residents added that trucks, which transport goods from Sharjah ports, tended to be a problem as they often pass through the city’s roads during prohibited hours to join the highway, leading to tailbacks on Al Khan Road, Al Tawuun Road and Sharjah Ring Road.

Not all the blame was placed on truck, however, with several residents saying that distributing companies should take responsibility for clogging internal roads.

“The authorities should take appropriate action and fine the distributing companies, if need be. By imposing fines, companies will then think twice before sending out their drivers on duty during the rush hours,” said Maria Fernandez.

“Companies should know that their trucks are the main reason for the delays on the road, and that their drivers’ schedules should be changed,” said Reem Al Azzam. Drivers of heavy vehicles weighing 2.5 tonnes or more have been ordered to stay off Sharjah roads during peak hours or face stiff penalties.