Picture for illustrative purposes only. ARCHIVE

Starting November 1, delivery motorcycle riders in Dubai will be banned from using high-speed lanes as part of a major safety reform announced by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and Dubai Police. Under the new rules, delivery riders will be prohibited from using the two leftmost lanes on roads with five lanes or more, and the leftmost lane on roads with three or four lanes. On roads with two lanes or fewer, riders may use any lane. Riders caught violating the rule face a fine of Dh500 for the first offence and Dh700 for the second, with their delivery permits suspended after the third violation. Riders who exceed 100 km/h will also be fined between Dh200 and Dh400, depending on the number of offences. Hussain Al Banna, CEO of RTA’s Traffic and Roads Agency, said the move follows “the substantial growth witnessed in the delivery sector in recent years, both in demand and in the number of bikes operating on Dubai’s roads.” He added that the RTA coordinated with public and private sector partners “to develop criteria that ensure the safety of delivery riders and all road users.”To ensure compliance, prohibitory signs will be installed on major roads indicating lanes that are restricted to commercial motorcycles. Awareness campaigns will also be launched in coordination with delivery companies. Major General Saif Muhair Al Mazrouei, Assistant Commander-in-Chief for Operations Affairs at Dubai Police, said the new rule supports Dubai’s Traffic Safety Strategy, focusing on “monitoring and enforcement, road and vehicle engineering, traffic awareness, and systems and administration.” Al Mazrouei revealed that police data recorded 962 motorcycle-related accidents in 2025, up from 854 the previous year, while 78,386 violations have been issued so far this year against delivery riders for unsafe driving. “Restricting delivery bikes from using high-speed lanes will play a vital role in improving rider behaviour and reducing fatalities,” he said. To encourage compliance, RTA and Dubai Police will also recognize top-performing delivery companies under the “Delivery Sector Excellence Award.” ICA/Expat Media
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