Sharjah to Ras Al Khaimah Road 1968
Linking Dubai with another Trucial State via Sharjah
Early 1960s, Trucial States Council recognised roads were needed to open up the Trucial States.
Initial Sir William Halcrow and Partners proposed a Subkha Road from Dubai to Ras Al Khaimah. Political pressure changed this to a tarmac surfaced road.
Saudi Arabia initially agreed to finance the road provided road specifications matched those in other Gulf States
Negotations became protracted to the point where Trucial States Council decided to split the project into two parts - Dubai/Sharjah Road and Sharjah/Ras Al Khamiah Road.
Outcome was Trucial States Council financed the Dubai/Sharjah Road via their Development Fund and Saudi Arabian Government financed the Sharjah/Ras Al Khaimaih Road.
Saudi Construction Company Bin Laden built the Sharjah/RAK Road
- the company's first project in the Trucial States.
Sharjah to Ras Al Khaimah Road 1968
Driving the Ras Al Khaimah Road 1971
My work involved looking after Gray Mackenzie's Launch "Grayswift 1" which operated Gray Mac's Tanker Crew Change Service out of Ras Al Khaimah.
I regularly drove my un-airconditioned Peugeot 404 from Dubai to RAK via Sharjah. Dubai to Sharjah Road was always busy but after Sharjah the road to Ras Al Khaimah was almost traffic free. Not many people drove to RAK back then.
Sharjah to RAK Road was fast! No Police Patrols in those days so the drive time from Dubai to RAK was short. With no airconditioning in the car, driving fast meant meant more cooling breezes through the open wimdow.
That is not say driving fast on the RAK Road was safe - it wasn't! Camels could be encountered plus sand would blow onto the road. Driving fast also meant being aware of the risks.
Later speed bunps were installed on the RAK Road as a means of slowing drivers. Warning Signs were not installed.
These speed bumps became a hazard with unwary drivers travelling at speed suddenly encountering a speed bump. There were fatalities.
Len Chapman