Gimme shelter … passengers praise 100 new bus shelters
The latest constructions in Abu Dhabi are part of a broad plan to put 600 more shelters in place
Plans to build 100 more air-conditioned bus shelters on Abu Dhabi public transport routes have been welcomed by commuters.
On Saturday, the Department of Transport announced that the new shelters will be in place by the end of the year.
The largest, opposite Abu Dhabi’s main bus terminal on Sultan bin Zayed the First Street, where dozens of buses pass every hour, is already under construction.
The new shelter will be able to hold 60 people at a time and is expected to be completed in a few weeks.
While workers toil at the site people must, for now, wait in the summer heat.
Jane Garcia, a Filipina who was waiting at the main stop, said: “I take the bus twice a day. It’s very convenient but in the summer heat, when the bus does not come on time, I sometimes take a taxi.
“This costs me a lot, and the air-conditioned shelter will make a big difference.”
The long summer is usually the hardest time for bus users, who have often raised concerns over broken air-conditioning at many shelters.
Brain Ekole, from Cameroon, who was also waiting at the stop yesterday, used to be a taxi driver and recalls some of the older shelters being demolished to make way for the new units.
“I used to feel the pain of the people standing under the sun. But now they are building these new shelters – the air-conditioning is good and there should be more of them.”
Mr Ekole also called for more footbridges near bus stops so people could cross the road safely.
“The distance between [footbridges] and bus stops can be long. More of them are needed,” he said, mopping his brow because of high humidity.
About 53 million bus rides were taken in the capital last year – a 3 per cent increase on 2016 – and transport chiefs are trying to encourage more people to use the bus.
About 30 of the new shelters are already in use, with outdoor shading and seats, bus timetables and top-up machines for hafilat cards.
At least 20 of the new shelters are to be housed in refurbished shipping containers.
“We need air-conditioning and recharge machines at every bus stop,” said another bus user.
“In winter, I try to walk as much as possible, but summer is a disaster with the heat,” said the Polish national.
Banyan, another public bus user, from Jordan, said she travelled to Yas Island and back every day. The trip is more than an hour each way.
“It’s very hot now especially when the bus is late, so the shelters are a good idea,” she said.
The 130 shelters already in operation are being revamped. About 600 new shelters in total are planned across the emirate by 2020.
More announcements about improvements to the public bus service are expected in the next few months.
There are about 4,000 bus stops across the emirate of Abu Dhabi and a rechargeable card must be used to travel on the bus. Fares start at Dh2.