The News
The best part of running a toll road or parking lot? Collecting fines.
Dubai’s publicly listed operators are making a fortune from penalties. In 2024, Salik saw fine revenue jump 15% to 62 million dirhams ($17 million), while Parkin, the city’s parking monopoly, raked in 249 million dirhams — up a third from the previous year. Parkin expects its fleet of 25 enforcement vehicles to drive fines up another 25% this year, bringing violations close to half of its total projected revenue for 2025.
The final frontier in privatization could be traffic violations. Dubai’s new traffic cameras can detect — and fine — drivers for not wearing seatbelts and phone use, even through tinted windows. Those penalties go directly to the government now, but investors would be eager for a share of that revenue stream.