Dubai: Many residents on Monday are expected to ditch their cars and instead use public transport to mark ‘Public Transport Day’, organised by Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) in collaboration with Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture).
This year’s theme of the annual occasion is ‘Together to Expo 2020 Dubai’. The event aims to encourage Dubai residents and visitors to use public transport to and from the Expo site.
RTA has also launched an ‘Arts in Public Transport’ initiative in partnership with Dubai Culture to support the cultural sector. It offer innovators and artists a chance to put forward concepts that can raise the image of Dubai as a cultural and innovative hub.
Artworks will be on display at several metro stations: Expo 2020, Dubai Mall, Jebel Ali, Dubai Investment Park and Al Ghubaiba stations. The public will see the works while using public transport means in Dubai.
Mattar Mohammed Al Tayer, Director-General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors, RTA of the Roads and Transport Authority, expressed his thanks to Sheikha Latifa Bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, chairperson of Dubai Culture, for supporting the events of the Public Transport Day.
He said: “The 12th edition of the Public Transport Day coincides with the hosting of Expo 2020 in Dubai. It offers a fine opportunity for shedding light on the importance of public transport to the mobility of residents. From its inception, RTA focused on the development of public transport network capable of becoming the safest and preferred mobility means for all community segments.”
Public transport means
Projects accomplished include Dubai Metro extending 90km and connecting 53 stations, and the Dubai Tram running 11km and linking 11 stations. Dubai Metro and Tram are used by about 210 million riders per year.
RTA also provides marine transit means, which were previously restricted to traditional abra boats only, but now include the ferry, water bus, water taxi and air-conditioned abras. Improving and integrating mass transit means contributed to increasing the number of trips made by public transit means and shared transport from less than six per cent in 2006 to 18.1 per cent in 2019, said Al Tayer.
Hala Badri, director-general of Dubai Culture, expressed her appreciation of RTA’s role in shaping the emirate’s outlook through creative projects and initiatives.
She said: “This initiative offers metro users access to artworks presented by our creative community, which is in line with one of the priorities of our strategic roadmap aimed at stimulating participation and making culture and art accessible to everyone, everywhere.”
Events and contests
Expo 2020 Metro Station will be the focus of a photography contest launched by RTA in October in collaboration with Canon Middle East, and Keolis-MHI marking Expo 2020. Launched via social media platforms, the contest aimed to encourage the public to use public transport to and from Expo site.
The exhibition includes photos and videos that highlight the cultural landmarks on the way to Expo, roads network and flyovers, and pictures highlighting the beauty of using different means of transportation.
It also includes Dubai Metro stations on Route 2020, which boast a unique architectural design. The names of the winners will be announced after each of the three stages of the competition and will continue until the end of the Expo next year.
Treasure hunt
RTA will also host a challenge via social media sites such as Tik Tok and Instagram Reel. It involves swiping the nol Plus transport card virtually in a challenge aimed to encourage the public to use public transport and go to several parts of Dubai to share their journeys with others.
RTA will continue to roll the treasure hunt contest in this edition of the Public Transport Day through its website. The competition prompts the public to discover “a hidden treasure” in public transport stations. The search is focused on the Dubai Metro Red Line and stations near Expo 2020 site.
Eight winners will be selected and each of them will be rewarded with up to 2 million nol Plus points to be added to their nol cards to be used later.
This year’s Public Transport Day initiative includes activities and events that will run throughout November by RTA in cooperation with Dubai Culture, Expo 2020 Dubai office, and Keolis-MHI (operator of Dubai Metro, Tram), Canon, Noon, Jumeirah Group and Flydubai.
