Dubai to Introduce New Dedicated Lanes for Buses and Taxis

On several routes, the public can anticipate much faster travel times in buses and taxis as a result of the new special lanes.

Six main streets—Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, 2nd of December, Al Satwa, Al Nahda, Omar bin Al Khattab, and Naif—have over 13 km of new dedicated lanes.

The project, which is expected to be completed between 2025 and 2027, would add more than 20km to Dubai's network of dedicated bus lanes.

According to director general and head of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) Board of Directors Mattar Al Tayer, these designated lanes encourage locals to choose public transportation rather than drive their own cars.

There are now 7 kilometers of dedicated lanes in Dubai. The one on Khalid Bin Al Waleed Road is among them. Parts of the streets in Naif, Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, and Al Ghubaiba now have more lanes. The RTA believes that the three earlier project phases improved bus trip times by 24%, reducing the average time for some routes by five minutes per bus.

The expansion of dedicated bus lanes is expected to significantly decrease bus travel times during peak hours, with reductions ranging from 24 to 59 percent. Bus arrival times on dedicated routes are projected to improve by 28 to 56 percent. Specifically, notable reductions include 59 percent on Naif Street, 54 percent on Al Satwa Road, 50 percent on Omar Bin Al Khattab Street, and 38 percent on Al Nahda Street. Additionally, improvements in bus arrival times are anticipated, such as 56 percent on 2nd of December Street, 52 percent on Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah Street, 48 percent on Al Satwa Road, and 42 percent on Omar bin Khattab Street.

Extending the lanes is expected to boost public transport usage by up to 30 per cent on some roads.

News Source: Khaleej Times