Ropeway: RTA explores to develop aerial transport network in Dubai

Dubai: The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with MND, a French mobility specialist, to come up with innovative solutions for developing an aerial transport network in Dubai.

The urban ropeway transportation or CABLINE “is designed to integrate and connect to a city’s existing inter-modal transport network,” the RTA said in a statement on Monday.

Driverless

“This fully automatic, driverless transport system, with self-propelled cabins moving over ropes at speeds up to 45 km per hour, uses a minimalist infrastructure easy to integrate with the least possible footprint. Its innovative technology is much more modern, more aesthetic, quieter and more energy sufficient than traditional ropeway transportation,” the RTA noted.

The CABLINE system is being developed by ropeways specialist MND, with support of the French State Agency for sustainable development ADEME.

Flexible, energy saving

Urban ropeway transportation can be a solution to the major challenge of urban mobility. Abdul Mohsin Ibrahim Younes, CEO of Rail Agency, who signed the MoU on behalf of RTA, said: “The MoU is part of RTA’s ongoing efforts to achieve Dubai’s vision to have 25% of all trips to be self-driving by 2030. MND is a leading group for ropeways infrastructure and working on a new driverless high-speed system. This CABLINE system by MND is flexible, energy saving, and has minor impact on the urban environment.”

Xavier Gallot-Lavallée, chairman and CEO of MND, for his part added: “MND is very proud to work with RTA to achieve their vision of sustainable mobility and fully integrating urban network. The CABLINE technology under development in our ropeways design centre based in the French Alps can contribute to new urban transportation experience. We have been working hard in the last years to finalise design and make CABLINE a unique and disruptive technology to ease urban mobility.”