Dubai's First Traffic Lights

Dubai's First Traffic Lights were installed in Al Fahidi Street opposite V V and Sons. Why the lights were installed at this junction is unclear. There was not much traffic plus it was a "T" Junction so not a real test of new Traffic Lights.

Dubai's Drivers have always been impatient, no more so than when waiting at Traffic Lights. The Drivers used to sound their car horns if they thought the lights were taking too long to change. For no apparent reason the Traffic Lights were switched off between midnight and 6 am. At least the Residents of the nearby Apartment Blocks could get some sleep. However no one needed an alarm clock! Promptly at 6am the car horns started again.

Probably one of the few areas in Dubai that is nearly the same today as it was over 30 years ago. The traffic lights are still there. The same Traders are still there (plus a few more). The traffic flow has changed to a one way system. But the traffic lights stay on all night and no one sounds their car horn anymore when the lights are slow to change!

In 1971 there was not a lot of traffic on the roads as this photo shows. Also looking across the Creek to Shindaga shows very little development in that area.

Although the buildings have changed since 1971 , many of the Traders in the street in 1971 are still operating.

Although the road is tarmac, the side walks are still sand. On the right side of the road were shops and apartments while on the left were mainly cafes and tailors. The "high rise" Ambassador Hotel can be seen in the distance but the Astoria Hotel was yet to be built.

The area between Al Fahidi Street and Port Rashid was a mix of housing and factory yards. There are no high rise buildings. The Storage Tanks of the Shell Oil Company Terminal can be seen in on the horizon. These tanks were used to store petrol and aviation fuel imported through Port Rashid. There was a direct pipeline from this Terminal to Dubai Airport to supply aviation fuel to refuel aircraft at the Airport.