The lesson from cities all over the world is, and has been for years, that if you want and expect people to use trains you have to provide parking at the train stations.
It's hardly rocket science, people need to get between their homes and workplaces and the stations. Invariably the best way is to drive there.
So having examples of what does and doesn't work from around the world on which to base their plans, our beloved RTA comes up with this for its 47 Metro stations:
"We are making huge parking plazas at three locations...There will be no private parking for Metro passengers on rest of the stations."
And this, they say is because they plan:
"...to attract larger number of passengers to encourage them park their cars and use Metro."
They can't be Earthlings, they're from Pluto or somewhere, I swear.
There will be one parking lot for around 6,000 cars at the end of the Green Line in Al Ghusais. 2,800 cars will be able to park at Deira's Rashidiya station in Deira on the Red Line and there will be parking for about 2,000 cars at Jumeirah Islands station on Shaikh Zayed Road.
(An aside: add that lot up and compare it with what they say will be the Metro's capacity of 50,000 pasengers per hour).
So the majority of people who would like to use the Metro but who don't live near the three, and only three, car parks get to the stations how?
The RTA have a cunning plan:
every station will have connection for public transport buses and taxi lay-by.
And every street in the whole of New Dubai will have a convenient bus stop and bus timetable will it? Or taxis in peak times will be readily available will they?
Gulf news has added to the fun with the story's headline and sub-head:
"Metro users to get free parking spaces. Three plazas at major locations will help encourage rail commuters. It's here.
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5 comments:
They really are bonkers, aren't they?
I particularly like it when you get quotes saying things along the lines of 'all big cities have traffic problems'.
Yes they do. Rome does, London does, Paris does. But they weren't built last year and they all have public transport that, generally, works.
And I really wonder about the folk that work at Jebel Ali free zone... after they get to their destination station (on the main h/way) how will they actually get to their offices several kms away and crossing SZR? Shuttle buses?
Well I hope that they have bicycle stands at all the stations so that people can ride to the Metro.
Oh I forgot, even bicycles are verboten.
I'm looking forward to travelling on it...
once!
Come on guys, can't you see that this is just another project designed to milk the money people earn in the city with really really hard and long working hours. The Salik gates will reach to your house doors very soon. If you want to use the metro you have to use the taxi or bus to get to the closet station: More money for RTA. If you decide to use your own car then you either have to buy long duration parking ticket (maybe something around 10 Dhs) or you pay a fine (150 Dhs...only)... again more money for RTA.
I am sure the people who are doing planning in Dubai has no idea and are locked behind room without any link to news, statistics or economic background. The cost of living in the city is becoming beyond any acceptable level.... people started rethinking of Dubai as a descent live/work city and the moment the number of people moving out exceeds people moving in (which is not very long from today)this whole service economy will just collapse... The proposition of a city of good life style, wealth of career opportunities at competitive cost of living is not there any more.
Did anybody imagined how it would look like inside these small metro station look like during peak hours.... I am sure it will be like hell
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