Sharjah has launched a new sustainability campaign encouraging residents to swap single-use products for reusable alternatives as part of its efforts to create a cleaner and greener emirate.

Called ‘Sharjah Deserves the Best’, the initiative will run until December 31 to help individuals, families and businesses adopt environmentally friendly habits in their everyday lives.

Here’s everything you need to know.

What is it all about?

The campaign focuses on reducing waste by encouraging people to replace disposable items with reusable alternatives.

It is part of Sharjah’s wider sustainability strategy and supports the UAE’s environmental goals by promoting responsible consumption and protecting natural resources.

How can residents help?

The campaign encourages simple everyday actions such as:

• Carrying reusable shopping bags.
• Using refillable water bottles.
• Choosing reusable coffee cups.
• Avoiding disposable cutlery and straws.
• Using reusable food containers instead of single-use packaging.
• Reducing unnecessary waste at home and work.

The idea is that small lifestyle changes, when adopted by many people, can have a significant environmental impact.

How will the campaign reach people?

Throughout the year, residents can expect to see:

• Awareness campaigns on TV, radio and social media.
• Educational programmes in schools and communities.
• Interactive exhibitions and workshops.
• Community events promoting sustainable living.
• Distribution of reusable shopping bags at shopping centres.

The campaign is designed to engage people of all ages and make sustainable choices easier to understand and adopt.

Why is Sharjah focusing on single-use products?

Disposable products are one of the biggest contributors to household waste and environmental pollution.

Replacing them with reusable alternatives can help:

• Reduce landfill waste.
• Cut plastic pollution.
• Conserve natural resources.
• Lower carbon emissions linked to manufacturing disposable products.
• Encourage more sustainable consumption habits.

Across the UAE, authorities have introduced measures to phase out many disposable products while encouraging businesses and consumers to adopt more sustainable alternatives.

Sharjah’s initiative complements these efforts by focusing on public awareness and long-term behavioural change.

The campaign highlights that sustainability doesn’t always require major lifestyle changes. Simple actions, such as bringing your own shopping bag or reusable water bottle, can collectively reduce waste and help protect the environment.

Paying for parking in Dubai just became easier.

Motorists using the new Harbour West Car Park at Dubai Harbour can now pay parking charges directly through their Salik account, eliminating the need for paper tickets, cash or payment machines.

The new service, launched through a partnership between Salik and Shamal in collaboration with Parkonic, came into effect on July 13.

Here’s what drivers need to know.

How does the new Salik parking system work?

The system uses automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) technology to identify your vehicle when you enter and exit the car park.

Instead of taking a ticket or paying before leaving, the parking fee is automatically charged to your linked Salik account.

The process is completely contactless and requires no manual payment.

Where can you use it?

The service is currently available at the new Harbour West Car Park in Dubai Harbour.

The nine-storey facility offers:

• 845 parking spaces
• Rooftop parking
• Easy access to Dubai Harbour attractions

Who will benefit?

The car park is expected to serve visitors travelling to:

• Dubai Harbour
• Dubai Marina
• Marina Walk
• Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR)
• Dubai Media City
• Dubai Internet City

The location is designed to accommodate both residents and tourists visiting one of Dubai’s busiest waterfront districts.

What are the benefits for drivers?

Using Salik for parking offers several advantages:

• No paper parking tickets.
• No cash payments.
• No waiting at payment machines.
• Faster entry and exit.
• Automatic payment through your Salik account.
• A smoother parking experience.

The system also helps reduce queues and improves traffic flow within the parking facility.

Is Salik becoming more than a toll system?

Yes.

While Salik is best known for collecting road tolls across Dubai, the company is gradually expanding into a broader digital mobility platform.

The addition of parking payments is part of Salik’s strategy to offer integrated transport and payment services beyond toll gates.

The partnership supports Dubai’s ambition to become one of the world’s smartest cities by making everyday transport services more seamless and digital.

For drivers, it means fewer payment steps, quicker exits from parking facilities and a more convenient experience, whether commuting or visiting popular destinations around Dubai Harbour.

Dubai is investing Dh2 billion in one of its biggest road infrastructure projects to improve connectivity and reduce congestion across the city. The Latifa bint Hamdan Corridor Development Project, announced by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), will create a new 12-kilometre transport corridor linking several of Dubai’s busiest highways.

Scheduled for completion by the end of 2028, the project is expected to make daily commutes faster, improve access between key neighbourhoods, and support the city’s future growth.

Here’s what it means for residents.

A look at the Latifa bint Hamdan corridor?

The project involves building a 12km road corridor that will connect six major roads across Dubai:

• Sheikh Zayed Road
• Al Khail Road
• Al Meydan Street
• Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road
• Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street
• Emirates Road

By linking these major routes, the corridor will provide motorists with more direct travel options and reduce pressure on existing roads.

How will it reduce traffic?

One of the biggest advantages of the new corridor is its ability to ease congestion.

The road will have the capacity to handle up to 16,000 vehicles per hour in both directions, helping distribute traffic more efficiently across Dubai’s road network.

The project also includes:

• Seven new bridges spanning 2.3 kilometres.
• Eight tunnels with a combined length of 900 metres.

These additions will reduce bottlenecks at busy intersections and improve traffic flow during peak hours.

Faster daily commutes

For thousands of residents, the project could significantly shorten travel times.

According to the RTA, the journey between Umm Al Sheif Street and Emirates Road will drop from 33 minutes to just 15 minutes once the project is completed, a reduction of 54%.

Shorter commutes mean less time spent in traffic and more time for work, family, or leisure.

Which areas will benefit?

The new corridor will improve connectivity for several fast-growing communities, including:

• Nad Al Sheba
• Al Barari
• Dubai Hills
• Dubai District One
• Mohammed Bin Rashid Gardens
• Living Legends
• Majan
• Global Village

It will also benefit people travelling through residential, commercial and industrial areas located along Latifa bint Hamdan Street and Al Meydan Street, as well as areas between Al Khail Road and Emirates Road.

Better connections across the city

Instead of relying on a limited number of major highways, drivers will have another direct route connecting the city’s east-west and north-south road network.

This should make it easier to:

• Reach workplaces more quickly.
• Access schools and universities.
• Travel to shopping centres and entertainment destinations.
• Move between residential communities with fewer delays.

More options for cyclists

The project isn’t just for motorists.

The RTA will also build 12.5 kilometres of dedicated cycling tracks, linking the new corridor with Dubai’s existing cycling network.

Once completed, cyclists will be able to travel more easily between Al Qudra and Jumeirah, supporting healthier lifestyles and encouraging sustainable transport.

Supporting growing population

Dubai continues to welcome new residents and businesses every year, increasing demand on its transport infrastructure.

Projects like the Latifa bint Hamdan Corridor are designed to accommodate future growth by expanding road capacity and improving connectivity before congestion becomes a bigger challenge.

The Latifa bint Hamdan Corridor is more than just a new road. It is designed to improve everyday life by making travel faster, reducing traffic congestion, expanding cycling infrastructure, and creating better links between some of Dubai’s fastest-growing communities.

For residents, this means shorter journeys, smoother traffic, and a more connected city as Dubai continues to grow.