The announcement of another phase of the Parallel Roads project will doubtless be welcomed by all those frustrated motorists having to commute to and from work each day.

Although the project is slated for completion in about three years, it will be something to look forward to in the hope that all problems will be solved.

Certainly it seems as if the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) is making every endeavour to ensure adequate access and egress is made from major highways so as not to cause the ubiquitous bottlenecks.

But the proof of the success of all the research will be when it is put into operation. As Dubai commuters well know, what often works in theory can fail miserably in practice.

Another consideration to be made by the RTA is encroachment of the roads upon existing built-up areas. A way to alleviate residents' alarm is to provide proper detailed maps of the intended routes; rumours of invasion into newly completed residential areas awhile back caused extreme consternation.

To ride roughshod over residents' grievances, even for the worthy cause of improved road conditions, is unsettling for those residents who have invested huge amounts in the purchase of new houses.