Dubai Will Have A Dedicated 50 Km Bus And Taxi Line, Cut Travel Time

Illustration of a dedicated bus lane in the United Arab Emirates. (Source: Road and Transport Authority)

JAKARTA - If nothing goes wrong, Dubai, United Arab Emirates will have a separate bus and taxi lane, which stretches for 50 kilometers by 2027.

The project will cut the travel time of people using buses as part of a plan to encourage residents to switch from using private cars to public transport.

The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) announced on May 8 that the plan includes eight main roads: Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Road, Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah Road, 2 December Road, Amman Road, Al Satwa Road, Al Nahda Road. , Omar bin Al Khattab Street and Naif Street.

Dedicated lanes will nearly halve travel time for bus users on busy roads like 2nd December Street, the RTA said.

"Wideening the coverage of dedicated bus lanes increases average bus speeds and reduces travel time during peak hours by more than 40 percent," said RTA Director General Mattar Al Tayer, as reported by The National News May 9.

"This project is expected to contribute to a 30 percent increase in public transport passengers by 2030 on some roads, and reduce the need for additional buses because it saves travel time," he continued.

Illustration of a dedicated bus lane in the United Arab Emirates. (Source: Road and Transport Authority)

He further explained, it was part of the RTA's strategy to improve living standards in cities, in line with mass transportation policies in the West that encourage people to use public transportation instead of private vehicles.

"As seen in several metropolitan cities in America and Europe, dedicated bus and taxi lanes reduce travel time, increase compliance with timely bus departures, encourage people to use mass transportation means, increase taxi arrival times, and reduce direct travel and operating costs. indirect and pollution," he explained.

The lanes will be clearly marked in red with large signs explaining that they are for use by buses and taxis only.

The project will cut time spent on buses by 44 percent on 2 December, 39 percent on Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah Road and Amman Road, and between 28 and 18 percent on Omar bin Al Khattab Road, Sheikh Khalifa Jalan bin Zayed, Al Nahda Street and Al Satwa Street.

Please note, work to add 37 km of the dedicated track will take place between 2023 and 2027, bringing the total length of the route to 48.6 km.

The project has been piloted successfully on several busy streets and intersections in areas such as Khalid Bin Al Waleed Street, Naif Street and Ghubaiba Street.