By Matovu A. Twaha gulftoday.ae
THE number of public transport users in Dubai has increased by leaps and bounds. Comprising just 6 per cent of the Emirate’s transport users a year ago, they now constitute 12 per cent of its residents using various modes of transport, Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) revealed.
“And we continue to design methods that will see the figures rise to 35 per cent,” said a RTA Board Member, Mohammed Obaid Al Mulla.
While sharing the notes of the significance of Dubai hosting the 59th International Association of Public Transport (UITP) Congress and Exhibition meet from April 10 to April 14, he mentioned a host of positive results the RTA has attained.
“Over the past five years, we have registered a quantum leap in mass transit and infrastructure including the expansion of road network by 28 per cent, and contributed to the reduction of traffic congestion by 35 per cent,” said Al Mulla who also heads the UITP-Dubai’s organising committee.
“During this period, we have also achieved 42 per cent improvement in traffic safety, contributed in large measure by the number of tunnels, which has gone up by 67 per cent, pedestrian bridges by 204 per cent and number of bridges by 193 per cent.”
Al Mulla further said hosting of UITP will galvanise Dubai’s move towards integration of the public transport network and “stamp our Emirate on the global map of well-organised public transportation systems.”
“We have increased buses by 157 per cent to 1,420 in number. We expect to attain 35 per cent of public transport use by 2020.”
The use of Metro since it started running on 9/9/9, said Al Mulla has jumped by 145 per cent from 40,000 daily to 150,000.
The Director Planning and Business Development at the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), Mohammed Abubaker Alhashimi told The Gulf Today a month ago that there is going to be huge increase of public transport users once the Metro’s Green Line opens in August “because we shall peg our bus routes to the [metro] stations for commuters’ extra convenience.”
