Dubai motorists lose 45 hrs in traffic jams this year amid rising population, vehicles

Motorists in the UAE spent more time on the roads in 2025 compared to last year, losing up to 45 hours in traffic jams as the population and the number of vehicles increased in the country.

- Waheed Abbas

According to Inrix 2025 Global Traffic Report, UAE residents lost between eight and 45 hours this year compared to eight to 35 hours lost in traffic in 2024, across different emirates of the country.

As the traffic is increasing in the UAE, authorities in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and other emirates are spending billions of dirhams to cope with the rising traffic challenge.

Suhail Al Mazrouei, the UAE's Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, announced in November during the UAE Government Annual Meeting a Dh170-billion package of national transport and road projects to be implemented by 2030, aimed at easing traffic congestion and enhancing mobility across the UAE.

The government is working to enhance federal road efficiency by 73 per cent over the next five years, including expanding the number of lanes from 19 to 33 in each direction.