The Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) in the UAE has introduced a new service whereby smartphone users can recharge their individual parking accounts through the RTA DUBAI app.

Currently available on Android, the new service will utilise the NFC feature of nol cards in the app.

The introduction of this service forms part of the Dubai’s Smart City initiative that aims to provide top services to beneficiaries.

RTA Traffic and Roads Agency CEO Maitha bin Adai said: “This service complements the use of nol card as part of the available and future payment means of parking fees.

“nol card had been used in buying parking tickets through parking machines since 2009 and accounts for 15% of other payment means provided by RTA.

“This service complements the use of nol card as part of the available and future payment means of parking fees.”

“The objective of this smart service is to enhance a plan for improving parking services on smart apps and maximising the satisfaction of car parking users, by obviating the need to go to parking machines and buying tickets.”

All users of public parking in Dubai can utilise the new service to pay their parking fees through the e-parking purse after recharging it with nol Card.

Bin Adai added that paying parking fees through the e-parking purse with the help of smart parking services is on the rise.

Compared to 2016, the increase reached 30% last year, which can be attributed to the multiple features of smart apps parking services, Bin Adai noted.