• Home

RTA to link different modes of transport

DUBAI — Mohammed Obaid Al Mulla, the CEO of Public Transport Agency and Acting Chairman of the board and Executive Director of Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), has stated that the RTA would develop the public transport and mass transit sector in terms of quality, efficiency and modernity.

Al Mulla pointed out that the mass transit system in Dubai is considered vital in the daily mobility ofcommuters.

Abras plying Dubai Creek ferried around 26.7 million passengers in 287,423 trips, registering a growth rate of 22.7 per cent during 2006 as compared to the previous year. Public buses carried 87.8 million passengers in 2 million trips in around 504 buses. “RTA has worked out an ambitious plan to develop mass transit system so that the contribution of mass transit modes would rise to 30 per cent. The plan includes commissioning of Dubai Metro Project, at a cost exceeding Dh15 billion and developing mass transit system by increasing the number of buses, trips, routes and services. The number will reach 1,200 buses by 2008.”

“It also envisages marine transport modes at a cost exceeding Dh1 billion by operating 10 water buses with a capacity of 35 passengers each. The waterbus service has already started in the Dubai Creek. In addition to this, 6 ferries with a capacity of 120 passengers each will be operated and the service is scheduled for commissioning in 2008,” Al Mulla commented.

He said that the Public Transport Agency has implemented the initial steps of integrating the mass transit modes in Dubai through establishing a link with the Marine Agency.

This has been materialised by linking transport Route No. 19 with Abra line No. 3 (linking Al Seef and Bani Yas Stations).

The Agency developed eight plans for integrating Abra stations with other modes of transport, which include buses, Dubai Metro, water bus and collective transport boats.

Al Mulla added that bus route No. 19 has been modified to pass across Al Seef Abra Station in order to provide a comfortable transport mode for abra users.

The distance between the public buses station and Al Seef abra station is only a one minute walk. From here commuters can move through Line 3 to Bani Yas Station opposite Dubai Municipality building in a three- minute walk. Bus route No. 19 is one of the vital routes on which 9 vehicles are deployed carrying around 2.4 million passengers every year.