UAE: Following two separate studies, Dubai's Roads & Transport Authority has confirmed its intention to seek government approval to build a 20 km extension of the metro Green Line from Etisalat to International City, Academic City and the Dubai Lagoons for opening within five years.
A 12 km extension of the Red Line from Jebel Ali to the border with Abu Dhabi is also proposed, subject to developments along the route going ahead.
The extensions to the driverless metro lines form part of the city’s Rail Master Plan which is to be submitted to the national government shortly as part of Dubai’s Vision 2030 strategy.
- On February 22 the Dubai government announced a US$675m financing package which will allow the 10 km Phase 1 of the delayed Al Sufouh Tram project to be completed by November 2014. The agreement includes a 13-year US$401m loan guaranteed by Belgian and French government credit agencies ONDD and COFACE, and a six-year Islamic Ijara facility split equally in US dollars and dirhams. The financing is underwritten by Citigroup, Deutsche Bank and HSBC. Phase 1 from Dubai Marina to Knowledge Village with 13 stops and 11 Alstom Citadis 402 trams had been scheduled to open in 2011, but hit funding difficulties. A 4 km second phase is planned, adding six stops and 14 additional trams.
