Double-decker buses will hit the streets of Dubai next month, as the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) continues its campaign to discourage motorists from using their cars.
The RTA is stepping up its efforts to fight Dubai’s crippling congestion problems, with the authority to spend one billion dirhams this year on 626 new buses for the emirate.
Essa Abdul Rahman Al Dossari, CEO of Public Transport at the RTA, said in a statement on Sunday the authority would begin double-decker bus operations in May as part of a move to encourage the greater use of public transport.
The range of new buses includes 170 double-deckers, 150 standard buses and 300 articulated buses.
The authority will take delivery of one double-decker bus next month, and is scheduled to receive the remaining 169 in June. It was unclear when the standard and articulated buses would begin operation.
The double-decker buses have a passenger capacity up to 160 people, an articulated bus will accommodate 100 passengers while the standard bus has a capacity of 57 passengers
“This step is part of a strategic RTA plan to upgrade mass transit and attract additional numbers of passengers to reduce traffic bottlenecks,” he said.
“By providing top quality buses with wide geographical coverage, we aim to step up the percentage of trips made by public transport to 30% by 2020, and achieve integration between public transport means including buses, Dubai Metro and Marine transport.”
The arrival of the new buses coincides with the construction of air-conditioned public bus sheds in over 500 locations.
The total number of buses operating in Dubai will rise to 1200 buses in 2008, he said.
The authority said last June it planned to invest at least 75 billion dirhams over the next five years on transport infrastructure to help meet demand as Dubai’s population is expected to double to more than 2 million by 2015.
Among the RTA’s plans are an urban rail system including at least a four lines, the first two of which will cover 76 kilometres and carry about 200 million passengers per year.
In order to cope with traffic congestion, Dubai has built a floating bridge over the Dubai creek, the city’s main waterway, and is building new bridges, roads and introducing a water transport system.
The RTA also introduced a toll system on Dubai’s main Sheikh Zayed highway in 2007 and has expanding the number of parking spaces for which it takes payment across the emirate.
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