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Video: Dubai Metro to get more trains, major upgrades

RTA Chairman reviews latest transit means, smart systems

A delegation from the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), headed by Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), has visited France to check the work progress in the manufacturing of 50 new trains for Dubai Metro.

These trains will be supplied by the French ALSTOM Company as part of Route 2020 Project. The delegation also reviewed the latest developments in transit modes and smart systems in a bid to realise the 10 X initiative of His Highnes Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai.

Such initiative aims to sustain the competitiveness of Dubai rendering it a city for the future through innovative ideas & solutions that run 10 years ahead of other cosmopolitan cities.

During the visit, Al Tayer and the accompanying delegation comprising several officials of RTA's Rail Agency inspected the progress in the manufacturing of 50 new trains for the Dubai Metro. The French ALSTOM Company has a contract with the RTA to supply 50 trains 15 of which will serve Expo 2020 and the other 35 trains will upgrade the level of service of Dubai Metro

"The RTA has introduced some additions and modifications to the interior design of the metro carriages such as dedicating the last carriage for ladies and children and leaving part of the first carriage for the Gold Class and other carriages for Silver Class. Seats will be transversal in the Gold Class, and longitudinal in the Silver Class as well as Ladies & Children Carriage. The exterior design of trains will remain as it is to maintain the design identity of the Dubai Metro and its familiar colours to the public," said Al Tayer.

Additions include revamping the designs without affeccting the identity through new designs for the handles, lighting, and locations of digital signage (VBSD). They also include an illuminated dynamic map for the metro route & stations, using LED power-saving lighting system, and modifying the design of the luggage compartment to make it usable by standing commuters.

Improvements also cover the shape and the number of handles, the use of modern digital display systems, distributing seats at the two sides of the train and increasing the gangway connecting between carriages.

The new carriages are customised to the use of People of Determination and the smooth boarding and alighting of riders.

Route 2020 extends approximately 15 km from Nakheel Harbour and Tower Station on the Red Line, comprising 11.8 km as an elevated track and 3.2 km as an underground track. It has seven stations, including an interchange station, one station at Expo site, 3 elevated stations and 2 underground stations. The capacity of Route 2020 is 46 thousand riders per hour in both directions (23 thousand riders per hour per direction). The ridership of the Route is expected to hit 125 thousand riders per day by 2020 and the number is expected to shoot up to 275 thousand riders per day by 2030.

International Experience

Al Tayer and the accompanying delegation have met with government officials in the city of Lyon, and an array of international firms specialised in transportation and smart systems. During his visit to the city, Al Tayer viewed the Transit-Oriented Development project and the latest technologies of Variable Signage. RTA delegation met with Mr David Kimelfeld, Acting President for the Grand Lyon Metropolis, and discussed the best practices & solutions of city mobility legislations & policies as well as the innovative projects of upcoming firms in the field of transport. RTA delegation then visited Bluely Company to review their practices in smart car-sharing and smart rental of electric vehicles in the city along with the challenges encountered in operation & maintenance of vehicles.

The delegation also inspected the autonomous bus of Navya Company and attended a briefing about the smart solutions & systems offered in the bus which accommodates 12 riders.

Al Tayer and the delegation also visited the capital of France, the city of Paris, where they were acquainted with the innovations of ALSTOM and RATP in transportation, innovative services and smart cities. Such innovations include the driverless tram and the electric bus (APTIS) characterised by low & integrated floor, seamless panoramic 360° view, 2 or 3 broad doors enabling the smooth boarding and alighting of riders as well as the movement of wheelchairs and strollers. The bus features simple maintenance processes, longer lifespan, and saving 25% of space need for turns at curves due to 4-wheel steering, rendering them better of use in cities.

RTA delegation concluded its tour by visiting Thales Company where they reviewed smart solutions in managing and analysing passenger information through artificial intelligence, and the latest technology in the filed of autonomous vehicles.