The move is part of the authority’s ongoing efforts to encourage the use of public transport…

On June 7, 2021 Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) signed an agreement with a Chinese suspended railway firm with the aims of bringing a futuristic suspended transport network to Dubai.

The Memorandum of Understanding was signed between RTA and Zhong Tang Sky Railway Group – a leading company in the suspended railway firm.

Abdul Mohsen Ibrahim Younes, CEO of Rail Agency stated, ‘The signing of this Memorandum of Understanding is part of RTA’s ongoing efforts to increase public transportation trips to 26 per cent by 2030.

‘The ultimate objective is to rank Dubai as the best place for living and business, a destination for visitors, and the smartest and happiest city in the world,’ added Younes.

Younes also noted that the authority is signing agreements with a host of specialist companies in the development of suspended transport systems. He stated that the aim was to identify the technologies used in this sort of mass transit.

The transport authority will screen and select the best system to launch in Dubai.

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The Dubai Metro which launched 12 years ago on September 9, 2009 has made travelling around Dubai not only easier, but cheaper as well. The aim to add new transportation systems in Dubai will only further accelerate the mobility of people, provide affordable solutions and help to curb traffic congestion.

The move to bring a suspended transport network to Dubai will help the emirate in achieving its vision to become ‘the world leader in seamless and sustainable mobility.’

self driving taxi

It also contributes to realising the Dubai Self-Driving Transport Strategy aimed to convert 25 per cent of the total mobility journeys in Dubai into self-driving transport by 2030. In April 2021, the RTA signed an agreement with Cruise, a leading US-based autonomous vehicle company that will operate self-driving taxis and ride-hailing services in the emirate.

The RTA stated that a limited number of vehicles will be rolled out starting in 2023 increasing to 4,000 vehicles by 2030.

Images: Getty and RTA