The public parking is full at 8pm in International City, Dubai. MUBASHIR ALI

More than a week after paid parking was introduced in Dubai’s International City, residents say that while the move has improved morning parking availability, it created new problems at night. Regulated parking began on February 1 under operator Parkin, placing the area under zone 621Q. Parking is charged from 8am to 12am, while Sundays and public holidays remain free across Dubai. Several residents told Expat Media that despite the changes, commercial vehicles are taking advantage of free parking after midnight. “Some of them come by 9pm, pay three hours worth of parking for Dh9 and get free overnight parking, while residents who come home late still can’t find proper parking spaces,” said Julian G., a resident in the China cluster. Joshua, who lives in the Russia cluster, said the situation becomes more difficult on weekends. “I wish there was also paid parking on Sundays,” he said. “Imagine on Saturday, some people, especially limousine drivers and those living in partitions, can park after 10pm and just pay for two hours, then leave their cars there for free on Sunday. As a resident, I worry I won’t get parking on Sundays if I go out with my family. Parking should be 24/7, including weekends.” A resident, who wished to remain anonymous, echoed the same sentiment, adding: “Paid parking should be 24 hours. It’s now more difficult to find parking after 9pm and on weekends.”

Fines and frustration

Residents also reported receiving fines when unable to find marked parking spaces. Nandhu N. said he returned home at 1am and saw enforcement teams patrolling. “I noticed that cars without permits were occupying designated slots, while permit holders were being fined Dh200 for parking outside of marked spaces. To avoid a fine, I had to wait until 4am just to secure a legal spot,” he said. Mubashir Ali said parking in his area was full by 8pm. “It is worse than before. Before, at least we had the flexibility to park by the roadside and police were not issuing fines after 8pm until 8am the next morning. But now life is more miserable. What are the benefits of parking permits for families? Now, we are not able to go out even on Saturdays or Sunday. We don’t need parking during the daytime. We need parking at nighttime,” he said. “ should turn this into 24/7 paid parking and Sunday should be paid parking as well,” he added. One resident suggested adopting stricter rules similar to Abu Dhabi. “The only way Parkin can improve parking issue in International City is by implementing Abu Dhabi rule. Only residents or permit holders are allowed to park after 9pm.” Another resident said: “Many residents are facing serious parking problems in our area. The main reason is lack of inspection between 8pm to 11pm, which allows traders and commercial vehicles to misuse residential parking.” AJ Luce added: “Before we can park outside slot and go. Nowadays, we can’t park outside or we will get a fine from RTA or Police.” Obuj Mon said he was fined Dh200 for parking his motorcycle outside designated spots.

Free permits for residents

Ahead of the rollout, residents living in buildings without internal parking were encouraged to apply for a free one-year permit. Each residential unit is eligible for one complimentary permit linked to one vehicle. Many residents reported approvals within one day through the Parkin website or app. However, the permit does not guarantee a parking space. It allows legal parking within the designated zone. Parkin previously said regulated parking aims to “improve the efficiency of public parking use while responding to the varying needs of residents, workers and visitors.” International City residents have long complained about evening congestion, often attributing the shortage to commercial vehicles, rental cars, delivery bikes and illegal partition tenants. For now, many residents say daytime parking has improved. The bigger question remains: what happens after midnight? PIA/CAM/Expat Media
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