As reported by Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), the AED3 billion Al Sufouh Tram system is going to set off testing soon.
The initial testing will go through the following schedule. Zone one of the project will have trams using the route between stations at Al Sufouh and Knowledge Village on January 26 before being set for the public.
This system’s length is about 10 kilometers. It will have 11 stations and will loop around Dubai Marina and Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR) to Al Sufouh.
Beside the main system line, the network will also link to the Jumeirah Lakes Towers and Dubai Marina metro stations.
Zone two of the project is between the Palm Jumeirah and Marina Towers, and testing is scheduled to begin on April 16.
Zone three is between Dubai Marina and JBR, with testing due on June 14.
In principle, it is expected that 11 trams will carry about 27,000 passengers a day. The RTA hopes eventually to be running 25 trams and carrying 66,000 people a day by 2020.
In September 2013, it was announced that Serco had agreed a five-year, Dh105 million deal with the RTA to run the service.
In framework of transportation projects and plans, the British company also operates Dubai Metro. Dubai Tram is expected to open to the public in November this year.
About Al Sufouh Tram system:
Al Sufouh Tramway is a tramway being built in Al Sufouh, Dubai. It will run 14.5 kilometres (9.0 mi) along Al Sufouh Road from Dubai Marina to the Burj Al Arab and the Mall of the Emirates. It is expected to interchange with three stations of Dubai Metro’s Red Line. The Sufouh Tram will also connect with the monorail of the Palm Jumeirah at the entrance of the Palm from Sufouh Road.
Trams:
The Al Sufouh Tram will use 11 Alstom Citadis 402 trams for Phase 1. The trams will be 44 m (144 ft) long with a capacity of 408 passengers. Maximum speed will be 50 km/h (31 mph), giving an average operational speed of 20 km/h (12 mph). Services will run 20 hours each day, and it will take 30 minutes to ride the entire length of the system.
The trams will use the “Alimentation par le Sol II” (APS II) ground-level power supply, and so will not need overhead cables. This method was first used in Bordeaux, France. The Al Sufouh Tram will also be the world’s first tram network to use platform screen doors at the stations, as well as a new Supervised Vehicle Operation (SVO) mode that will ensure accurate station stop and safety during passenger transfer. The trams will have Gold (first) and silver classes, and space dedicated to women and children.
The first tram was presented to Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Road & Transport Authority, at Alstom’s La Rochelle factory on 14 June 2013
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