Dubai public transport lifts 367m users in 2012

More than 367 million passengers travelled on public transport in Dubai during 2012, the Roads and Transport Authority said on Saturday.

The total compares to 346.5 million lifted on Dubai Metro, buses, marine transport and taxis in the previous year, the transport authority said in a statement.

Mattar Al Tayer, chairman and executive director of the RTA, said more than one million people were transported per day during 2012.

He said: "The RTA has been endeavouring to provide mass transit systems to keep pace with the growth seen by the emirate, and make them the ideal mobility choice for the public."

The authority said it aims to reduce the use of private vehicles and increase the share of public transport from 13 percent in 2006 to 30 percent in 2030.

Dubai Metro lifted a total of 109.5 million passengers in 2012 compared to 69 million in 2011.

The number of commuters using public buses in 2012 reached 120.7 millioncompared to 107.4 million in the previous year, with a daily ridership of about 331,000.

Marine transport in Dubai, comprising abras, water buses, water taxis and Dubai Ferry, lifted about 13 million passengers last year, down from 14.2 million in 2011.

"This drop in ridership is attributed to some commuters electing to switch from abras to the metro," the RTA statement said.

The number of trips made by taxis totalled 68.7 million in 2012 compared to 62.3 million in 2011, with 137.4 million passengers lifted - up from 124.7 million in 2011.