Dubai wins the competition to host the 59th World Federation of Public Transport Conference and Exhibition in 2011

This came in the finals, which took place on Monday March 26th in the Spanish capital, Madrid, while Dubai has been chosen by the overwhelming majority of members of the Arbitration Commission of the Federation.

His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) presented this achievement to His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE President and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai and Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, stressing that the UAE gave the public transport sector and the mass transport a great importance, and is keen to develop in terms of quality and efficiency and modernity, and trained manpower technically and administratively, maintenance and operational efficiency, in addition to road safety.

Al Tayer expressed his delight at this achievement, which underlines the confidence of international organizations and institutions with the Dubai position, and its ability to host international events, and the successful graduation, and expressed his thanks to the presidency of the Federation to choice Dubai to host this important event, which comes to strengthen the confidence of the selection of Dubai as the headquarters of the Regional Office for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).

He said that RTA is willing to provide a comprehensive system of public transport, including buses, marine transport, the metro and trams, with high quality and low costs with wide geographic coverage, as well as developing awareness programs in order to improve the culture and social outlook on the use of public transportation, in addition to improve the available services provided through the public services as to help in achieving the overall goals of the public transport system.

He added:

"The public transportation in the Emirate of Dubai is considered as a vital tool in the daily transports of Dubai, nearly 26 million and 748,259 thousands passengers have used Abrah to cross Dubai creek in 287,413 thousand trips, recording a growth of 22.7%, while the number of passengers who were transported by bus where 87 million and 839, 584 passengers in 504, buses through two million trips."

Al Tayer has pointed out that RTA has put a plan to improve the public transportation system to increase the number of public transportation trips by 30%. The plan includes the implementation of Dubai Metro project at a cost of AED 15 billion. The project which is the first longest train in the world to operate without a driver, includes two lines, the first is the red at a length of 52 kilometers contains 29 stations, of which four are underground. The second is the Green Line at length of 23 km and comprises 18 stations, six under the ground.

He said that the train consists five cars with a capacity of 640 people in two classes, the golden 19 luxury seats and includes an area ladies and children with 15 seats with a space for bags and luggage. It is the first time in the world in which to allocate a golden class in a Metro moves within the city.

The (silver) is the other class of the Metro which include four cars with 104 seats. Special seats and spaces has been allocated for the special needs people at all classes of the Metro, which reflects the RTA interests and commitments towards this part of the society.

He explained the RTA plan to develop public transportation sector includes the development of public transport buses in terms of increasing the number of buses, trips and service. A number 620 new buses at a cost of more than one billion dirham will be added to the fleet in 2007 and 2008, thereby the number of buses will be increase to 1200 by 2008.The plan also includes the development of the marine transport at a cost of more than a billion dirham and that includes the operation of ten Sea buses , with a capacity of 35 passengers each, and is expected to begin service in July 2007, in addition to the operation of six Abras "Ferry" with a capacity of 120 passengers to operate in next year.

For his part, H.E Mohammad Obeid Al Mulla, CEO of the Public Transport Agency and head of the follow-up team to host the UITP activities, said that the UITP conference and Exhibition which hold every two years, is an opportunity for directors and decision makers in the public transport sector and other workers in the field of development for further review in the public transport sector, corporate regulations, technology, corporate policies and industrial innovation in this area and financial plans, in addition to discussing best practices and to access to the successful experiences in various parts of the world.

He added that the number of participants in the Federation is 2300 belonging to more than 80 nations who are decision-makers and executives in this field, and it is expected that the number of visitors to the exhibition around 7000 in addition to the accompanying large crowd of journalists and media, pointing out that the federation is tied to a number of international organizations of the United Nations including the Environment Program of the International Organization and the Department of Economic and Social Affairs Committee of the International Organization and the World Bank and number of European institutions, while the federation is currently developing a number of his contacts with regional institutions including as well the donor institutions.