Dubai: Nol card holders will enjoy free Metro, water and bus rides in celebration of Public Transport Day on November 1.
The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has launched Public Transport Day to commemorate its fifth anniversary.
"The initiative seeks to showcase the leading role of Dubai in general and RTA in particular in promoting public transport, diffusing the culture of mass transportation among various community members," Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of RTA, said.
He was addressing the 125th anniversary of the International Association of Public Transport (UITP) in Brussels, the capital of Belgium.
Creating awareness
He said the RTA initiative will explain the benefits to individuals of using public transport such as the physical and psychological relief. It will also help curb carbon emissions from vehicle exhausts, he said.
RTA aims to raise the percentage of Dubai residents using public transport from the current 11 per cent to 34 per cent by 2020.
The RTA Public Transport Network Expansion covers buses, marine transport and the Metro.
Presently 1,500 buses cover 300,000 kilometres per day compared with 620 buses covering a mere 180,000 kilometres per day in 2006.
RTA has also installed 800 air-conditioned bus shelters.
Maritime transportation has improved with the introduction of water buses, water taxis and the new improved abras.
"The most important aspect of Dubai's public transport network is that different modes are fully integrated with easy transition between the Metro, buses and marine transport modes to achieve RTA's vision of ‘Safe and Smooth Transport for All' and one of our main strategic goals ‘From Cars to Public Transport'," Al Tayer said. RTA's next project is to build a comprehensive Metro and tram network to ease transfer from one mode of transportation to another.
"Al Sufouh Tram, which will be completed in 2013, will cover 10 kilometres with power supplied through a modern and safe ground cabling system, and all stations will be centrally air-conditioned," Al Tayer said.
The Metro which was launched on September 9, 2009, consists of the Red Line and Green Line. The 52-kilometre Red Line is fully operational and has four underground stations and 25 elevated stations.
"Since the start of operations, the number of passengers using the Metro has increased rapidly and has reached a peak of 135,000 passengers per day.
"The number of passengers who have travelled on the Metro since the start of operations up to the beginning of September this year is about 30 million," Al Tayer said.
In figures:
- 11% - of residents now using public transport
- 1,500 - public buses in operation in Dubai at present
- 300,000 - distance in kilometres covered by buses daily
- 135,000 - commuters using the Metro on a daily basis
Green line: August 2011 opening
The Green Line extending 23km will be operational in August 2011, Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of RTA, said.
The Green Line includes 18 stations of which 6 are underground. The Green Line begins at the Etisalat Station on Al Nahda Road.
