As the network of e-scooters continues to expand, wider use of the last mile solution to enable public transport is bringing an additional headache of reckless riding for authorities to deal with.
From riding at speeds above the permitted 60kph on electric scooters, to joining busy major roads and failing to wear protective equipment – the number of violations recorded by police are on the rise.
Viewed as a key component of a greener future with lower carbon emissions, electric scooters have become a familiar sight in major towns and cities around the world.
Something we found that was quite positive was there were some people using them to replace car journeys
Graeme Sherriff,
University of Salford e-mobility researcher
That popularity has been replicated in the UAE, as more designated lanes for e-scooters open up, and the fleets available to rent continues to swell in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
Riders must apply for a permit, and can choose from multiple rental companies offering e-scooters including Tier, Careem, Lime, Skurrt and Arnab.
In a recent public release, Dubai Police said they had recorded almost 8,000 traffic violations involving e-scooters in the first half of the year, confiscating 4,474 electric scooters and bicycles in the process.
The number of fines handed out in 2024 is on course to smash records from previous years, with 11,054 fines issued in 2022 and 6,306 recorded violations in 2023.
However the number of people dying on the roads when riding e-scooters is declining, suggesting the safety message is getting through.
In 2022, 11 riders lost their lives and 116 were injured, while the 12 months that followed saw 12 deaths and 83 serious injuries in Dubai.
At the half way mark in 2024, there have been four deaths related to e-scooters, and 25 injuries from accidents, Dubai Police said.
Maj Gen Abdullah Ali Al Ghaithi, Assistant Commander-in-Chief for Operations Affairs, said e-scooter riders should understand the law before hitting the road.
“Dubai Police launched a campaign to crack down on riders who endanger their lives and others,” he said.
“Riders should stick to the designated paths and respect traffic laws, have proper brakes and wear protective gears.
“Our aim is to boost traffic awareness of riders to ensure their safety.”
Metro ban
Due to the risk of fire, e-scooters have been banned from inside Metro stations since March 1. Yet Dubai Police said they confiscate, on average, 24 e-scooters and electric bikes each day.
Despite the potential safety concerns, e-scooters remain an important aspect of sustainable transport.
A substantial network of dedicated lanes for e-scooters and bicycles aims to connect more residential areas with public transport, to encourage residents to leave cars at home.
Areas covered include Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard, Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT), Dubai Internet City, Al Rigga, 2nd of December Street, Palm Jumeirah and City Walk.
Designated lanes for e-scooters can also be found in Al Qusais, Al Mankhool, Al Karama, Al Twar, Umm Suqeim 3, Al Garhoud, Muhaisnah 3, Umm Hurair 1, Al Safa 2, Al Barsha, Al Quoz and Nad Al Sheba.
In Hatta, a new 4.5km network of shared lanes for bicycles and e-scooters has been announced, increasing the total length of safe track there to 13.5km.
The expansion is aimed at encouraging tourism, as well as offering new options for green mobility for residents.
“This aims to implement a series of improvement and development projects, providing diverse options for a unique individual mobility experience,” said Hussain Al Banna, executive director of traffic at Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority.
“Investing in infrastructure and road networks is a reflection of directives to keep pace with the urban development and growth in Dubai.
“This development aims to encourage individuals to use personal mobility options and engage in physical activities, reflecting Dubai's aspiration and leading position as a bike-friendly city.
“We want to enhance flexible mobility solutions in Hatta, linking developmental projects and tourist areas using non-traditional transport methods like walking, cycling, and electric scooters.”
Safe lanes
The RTA is heavily investing in first and last-mile transport requirements through more bike lanes, pedestrian crossings and rest areas, shaded paths, landscaping, private vehicle rental parking, and bike parking.
Similar rules governing the use of e-scooters are in place in Abu Dhabi. The Integrated Transport Centre (ITC) of the Department of Municipalities and Transport has restricted the size of e-scooters that can be used legally on the roads.
The vehicle should not exceed 165cm in height, weigh more than 35kg or be wider than 70cm.
According to market analysts Statista, the global e-scooter market is expected to double from $15.22 billion in 2021 to $31.04bn by 2028.
The number of machines in regular use is also predicted to climb to 143.5 million by 2028.
In Dubai, more than two thirds of Careem Bike's micro-mobility trips are for work commutes.
“Making cities more bicycle-friendly is critical to enhancing quality of life,” said Sami Amin, senior director of operations for Careem Bike.
“When people have the option to choose micro-mobility for their journeys, they benefit from time outdoors, being active, and reduce congestion on the road.
“We’re pleased to have worked with the RTA to help build bike friendly communities connecting Dubai.
“70 per cent of our bike trips in Dubai are used for daily commutes, and thousands of customers continue to rely on us throughout summer.”
Meanwhile, e-scooter-sharing has rapidly gained popularity across many countries, including the United States, Germany, France, and China.
Across Europe, the use of e-scooters on public roads is permitted by most countries, including Ireland, which became the latest to declare their legal use in May.
But in the UK, the picture is a little more complicated.
You can buy an e-scooter, but you cannot use it anywhere legally except on private land, and only then after obtaining permission from the land owner.
Rental scooters can, however, be used on public roads – but only in one of 31 trial areas around the country, including Derby, Liverpool, Newcastle, certain London boroughs and Salford.
Research
First announced in 2020, the trials were originally due to end the following year, but have been extended several times and are now set to be completed in 2026.
“These trials are purely for the shared scooters, so they are owned and run by companies,” Graeme Sherriff, a researcher at the University of Salford, who conducted a study of the trial in the city, near Manchester, told The National.
“And that means they can monitor aspects that contribute towards safety. So they can make sure that they have a certain size of tires, certain braking capacity, certain speed limits.
“And that isn’t the case with private vehicles at the moment. So I think part of the final piece of the puzzle is making sure that what people buy also complies with those standards.”
Mr Sherriff’s study set out to explore what people thought of them, while monitoring the uptake in their use.
There were safety concerns, but the number of incidents during the study period were actually small, he said, with 36 per cent of respondents saying they felt unsafe and only 3 per cent reporting a crash or injury in the survey.
“The reality was not as bad as the concern,” he said.
Uptake was slow at first due to the pandemic, but it gradually increased, with people building them into their routine.
“Something we found that was quite positive was there were some people using them to replace car journeys. They were seen as an alternative to taxis and Ubers, perhaps slightly cheaper, easier to get hold of,” he said.
The previous government appeared to be moving in the direction of legalising the use of e-scooters by creating a separate category of vehicle, which would set out rules for how and where they can be used.
“I am very much in favour of this process,” said Mr Sherriff.
“Then there could be some clear guidance then and some clear messaging. Because I think there isn’t clear messaging around when and where you can use an e-scooter.
“You can buy them in a high street shop without that clarity that actually you are buying something you can’t really use.”
*** Additional reporting by Ali Al Shouk
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Racecard
2pm Handicap Dh 90,000 1,800m
2.30pm Handicap Dh120,000 1,950m
3pm Handicap Dh105,000 1,600m
3.30pm Jebel Ali Classic Conditions Dh300,000 1,400m
4pm Maiden Dh75,000 1,600m
4.30pm Conditions Dh250,000 1,400m
5pm Maiden Dh75,000 1,600m
5.30pm Handicap Dh85,000 1,000m
The National selections:
2pm Arch Gold
2.30pm Conclusion
3pm Al Battar
3.30pm Golden Jaguar
4pm Al Motayar
4.30pm Tapi Sioux
5pm Leadership
5.30pm Dahawi
The specs
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Power: 325hp
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 247hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm from 1,500-3,500rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km
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MATCH INFO
Karnatake Tuskers 114-1 (10 ovs)
Charles 57, Amla 47
Bangla Tigers 117-5 (8.5 ovs)
Fletcher 40, Moores 28 no, Lamichhane 2-9
Bangla Tiger win by five wickets
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
