Sustained increase in public transport users
dubai — There is a sustained increase in the number of riders using public transport in Dubai, the Public Transport Agency of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) reported on Friday.
According to the RTA, the Dubai Metro (comprising the Red and Green Lines) had lifted 51.371 million riders during the first quarter of this year, compared with 49.913 million riders during the first quarter of last year, corresponding to a three per cent increase.
During the first quarter of this year, public buses had lifted 38.616 million passengers against 37.654 million riders in the first quarter of 2016. This figure indicates a growth rate of about 2.5 per cent in bus ridership. Dubai Tram also registered a growth of about 20 per cent from January to March after serving 1.601 million riders, against 1.338 million riders in the first quarter of 2016.
“The sustained increase in the ridership of public buses in Dubai is indicative of the growing culture of using public transport means amongst various community segments,” said Basel Saad Ibrahim, director of buses at RTA’s Public Transport Agency.
“It underscores the RTA’s keenness to provide solid and spacious
3% increase has been registered in Metro riders in the first quarter of 2017
buses offering accurate service integrated with other mass transit modes such as the Metro, Tram and marine transport. It is also attributable to the facilities associated with these transit modes such as stations and air-conditioned bus shelters across Dubai, including 100 smart air-conditioned shelters offering various smart services to the public,” he added.
Mohammed Al Mudharreb, RTA director of Rail Operation, reiterated the authority’s commitment to achieving the highest rating of happiness to all community members as reflected in deploying safe, secure and robust transit means.
Al Mudharred added: “The number of riders using public transport means, especially the Metro, has seen a huge growth rate, thanks to diffusing the culture of using public transport means amongst community members. Public transport means offer smooth mobility to various destinations in the emirate.”
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