The Public Transport Department of Dubai Municip-ality will introduce a new bus route to Jebel Ali Industrial Area via Jebel Ali Gardens and Jebel Ali Village from July 15, said Obeid Salem Al Shamsi, Assistant Director General for Administrative and General Services Affairs.

"The new route (No. 92) will create a link between downtown Dubai and the new residential area in Jebel Ali called Jebel Ali Gardens and the new labour camp situated in the Jebel Ali Industrial Area," he said.

"It will serve Jebel Ali Gardens, which has a population of 10,000. More than 3,000 workers in the Jebel Ali Industrial Area will also benefit from the route," said Al Shamsi.

This bus will run via Khalid bin Waleed Road, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Road, Trade Centre Interchange, Sheikh Zayed Road, Barsha, Jebel Ali Gardens, Jebel Ali Village, Muntazah and thereafter take the new road section to Jebel Ali Industrial Area, he said.

The direct fare on this service between Al Ghubaibah and Jebel Ali Industrial Area will be Dh4.50.

Due to the growing demand from passengers from downtown Dubai to Jebel Ali Free Zone, Al Shamsi said the department has decided to increase the frequency of Route No. 91 from one bus an hour to one bus every 30 minutes.

"This will be of great help to the people who are working in the Jebel Ali Free Zone and the labourers who are staying in the Free Zone and want to visit downtown Dubai," he said.

Route No. 91 will remain as a limited stop service. It will be stopping only at Gold Souq bus station, Al Ghubaibah, Al Rifa'a (Al Gurg building/Sea Shell Hotel), Al Saeediya Intersection, Khalid Bin Waleed Road (Citibank), Al Karama DM Centre, Trade Centre Interchange and then Jebel Ali Free Zone Main Gate, after which it will stop at all the bus stops within the Jebel Ali Free Zone. It will also stop at similar bus stops in the opposite direction.

Meanwhile, Essa Al Dossary, Acting Director of the Public Transport Department said that Route No. 90 from Al Ghubaibah Bus Station to Jebel Ali Bus Station will be re-routed via Falcon Intersection, Al Mina Road, Al Wasl Road, Al Satwa Bus Station, Safa Park and Police Training College. This will create a new link between Satwa and Jebel Ali.

However, Route No. 90 will not serve Muntazah and Jebel Ali Village. Al Dossary requested the passengers to these areas to use the new service on Route No. 92.

He said Route No. 99, the Jebel Ali Free Zone internal service, is extended to Jebel Ali Gardens and routed via Muntazah and Jebel Ali Village to restore the links lost on Route 90.

It is also diverted via New West Camp close to Round About 8. The direct fare for this service is Dh1.50.

The new extension will be beneficial to Jebel Ali Free Zone employees for those who wish to go to the employees' clinic at Jebel Ali Village. This route will run every 30 minutes, said Al Dossary.

Route No. 06 will now terminate alternately at Al Safa and Al Satwa Bus Station. Headway on the common section has been increased from 18 minutes to 15 minutes.

Route No. 09 has been extended to Gold Souq Bus Station. Trips will terminate alternately at Al Satwa Bus Station and Al Wasl. Headway on the common section has been increased from 18 minutes to 15 minutes.

He said the running time of Route No. 14 has been adjusted by increasing the peak hour trips. Timing of Route No. 17 has been revised as also of Route No. 25 in relation to Route 19.

The timetables of these routes will change accordingly with effect from 15 July.

An abbreviated form of the revised timetable is currently available at the major bus stations and the Customer service Centre situated at Al Karama DM Centre.

Al Dossary said that additional information on the service could be obtained on toll free number 800-4848.