Dubai signs MoU with Singapore to improve public transportation

In order to further develop its public transportation, Dubai has sought help from Singapore to improve the system.

The Dubai Roads and Transport Authority signed a memorandum of understanding today with Enterprise Singapore, which is part of the Asian city-state’s Ministry of Trade and Industry. Dubai will learn “best trading and investment practices of public transport and mobility” from its Singaporean counterparts, the Roads and Transport Authority said on Tuesday.

The MoU is aimed at taking advantage of the best trade and investment practices in public transport and mobility in Singapore.

Nasser Abu Shehab, CEO, Corporate Strategy and Governance Sector, RTA, and G. Jayakrishnan, Executive Director of the Singapore Global Corporate Market for the Middle East and Africa (MENA) region, signed the MoU on behalf of their respective entities.

Abu Shehab said: “The MoU sets out several general objectives which include identifying investments and commercial tangible projects that can contribute to the strategic objectives of the RTA. It calls for jointly identifying and creating opportunities in RTA projects for companies in Singapore to partner with them to implement those projects, while adhering to procurement policies and processes. They also called for collaboration to identify the scope and market of Public-Private Partnership projects for direct investment by Singapore companies. spanning the RTA and Singapore.

Jayakrishnan commented: “The signing of this MOU underscores the longstanding relationship between RTA and ESG. As Dubai sets out to further improve its transportation system, Singapore companies can expect opportunities in innovation, technical collaboration and investment in clean energy mobility. intelligent transport, smart road infrastructure and fuel cell technology. ESG will work with RTA to identify potential leading projects to facilitate such collaboration.”

Explore Opportunities

“Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority will also explore opportunities for direct investment by Singaporean companies.  The Authority has had some success seeking investment in the past, securing more than $270 million in 2020.

Dubai also has an extensive public transportation system consisting of an underground metro, buses, trams and more. Authorities in the UAE’s largest city have recently sought to improve the system, particularly regarding the environment. In March, the Roads and Transport Authority announced it is recycling wastewater at one of its depots.

Similar endeavors are occurring in the UAE capital, Abu Dhabi. Also last month, Abu Dhabi began a program to put bicycles on buses.

Riders During Expo 2020

As many as 37.3 million riders used services of Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority during Expo 2020 Dubai.

Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors, RTA, said the figure constitutes 67% of the total usage of transport services at Expo, which was held for six months from October 2021 to March 2022.

The number of riders carried out by public transport modes (Dubai Metro, public buses), taxis and e-hail rides (Careem and Uber) reached 26.3 million. Al Tayer said that RTA’s transit means served 37 per cent of Expo visitors, and about 11.038 million motorists used RTA’s parking slots during Expo.

From 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022, the Dubai Metro service to Expo clocked 8.203 million riders.

Public buses (Expo Rider) constituted for 15.525 million riders. The bus service was run by four types of services: Expo Rider Inter-city had 1.096 million riders, Expo Rider Dubai had 1.414 million riders, Parking Shuttles to the three Gates (Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability) had 10.2 million riders, and People Movers between gates had 2.814 million riders.