Public transport carried 278 mn passengers in first half of 2018

Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the Roads and Transport Authority, RTA, has revealed that public transport means in Dubai carried 277.91 million passengers in the first half of this year.

The figure shows a steady growth compared with those reported during the same period last year amounting to 275.242 million passengers. It translates into a current daily average of 1.535 million passengers. These passengers are served by the RTA’s public transport means comprising the metro, tram, buses and marine transit means (abra, ferry, water taxi, water bus) as well as taxis (Dubai Taxi and Franchise companies).

Dubai Metro has accounted for the biggest share of public transport users (37.17 percent), followed by taxis (31.61 percent), and public buses (27.48 percent). The Dubai Metro Red and Green Lines ferried 103.292 million commuters during the first half of this year, which compares well with the number recorded during the same period last year of 100.558 million. The Red Line accounted for 66.862 million commuters whereas the Green Line has served 36.43 million. The Dubai Tram service clocked 3.207 million almost the same number reported last year.

Interchange stations of the Dubai Metro lines received the largest number of passengers. Burjuman Station served 6.369 million and the Union Station received 5.488 million passengers.

The pecking order of the busiest stations on the Red Line has changed with JLT Station jumping to the top of the list, serving 5.524 million passengers, ranking ahead of Al Rigga Station (4.921 million), and Burj Khalifa-Dubai Mall Station (3.934 million). On the Green Line, Al Fahidi Station topped the list by serving 4.079 million passengers, followed by Baniyas Station (3.302 million) and the Stadium Station (2.896 million).

During the first half of 2018, public buses served 76.379 million passengers, marine transport means ferried 7.183 million passengers, and 87.849 million passengers used the Dubai Taxi service.

Delighted with the healthy growth of public transit means of the RTA, Al Tayer said, "The diverse and extensive projects undertaken by the RTA have contributed to the growth of public transport passengers. The share of public transit means (metro, tram, buses, marine modes) in people’s mobility has leapfrogged from 6 percent in 2006 to 16.4 percent in 2017. When adding taxis, the rate will jump to 25.8 percent. The plan is to sustain the growth of public transport ridership of the said four modes to 20 percent by 2020 and 30 percent by 2030."

He further noted that the RTA’s concept of integrated mobility was an integral part of projects for widening roads networks, crossings, and improvements of public transport. Achieving smooth mobility also hinges on the use of sophisticated traffic and transport systems and the introduction of policies to curb the semi-total reliance on private vehicles by migrating people to the use of public transit means. Policies also include car-pooling, especially in Dubai where car ownership rate is one car per every two persons of the population.

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