RTA signs MoU with MTR of Hong Kong
Roads and Transport Authority – Mohammed Al Munji: The Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Mass Transit Railway (MTR) Corporation of Hong Kong to boost the strategic relationships and existing cooperation between them in improving urban transport, providing excellent urban transport services in Dubai, and exchanging information & advice on modern techniques of planning & designing public transport services and other related issues, in addition to managing & monitoring public transport agencies. Potential cooperation fields also include designing, building, testing, commissioning and maintaining the metro system, training of employees, offering expert advice on rail systems & associated equipment, reviewing & preparing of tender documents, improving commercial operation of the metro, augmenting the number of riders & income, enhancing the role of metro feeder buses, and upgrading public transport bus services with a view to achieving integration between the metro & public buses, and uplifting their efficiency & punctuality.
The MoU was signed on behalf of the RTA by H.E. Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of the RTA, and for the MTR by H.E. David Yam, Director of International Business at MTR Corporation; in the presence of H.E. Zhan Jingbao, the Chinese Consul in Dubai; and Jason Woo, Country Manager for Middle East at MTR in addition to a host of CEOs and Directors of the RTA.
Al Tayer expressed his pleasure in having this MoU signed with the MTR which boasts over 30 years of experience in operating trains & public buses, and currently runs a number trains in Hong Kong, Europe, China and Australia.
"The signing of the MoU comes in the context of RTA efforts to introduce best-in-class global practices in the field of mobility & transport, benefit from the expertise of advanced countries & cities in operating, managing and maintaining mass transit means, qualifying nationals with the essential know-how to groom them for running these modes efficiency, exchanging expertise & practices of modern transport programs & technologies, and boosting communication with the aim of sharing knowledge besides reviewing & discussing global issues related to mobility, transport and initiatives of either party as well as exchanging experts & employees to contribute to some related projects.
"The RTA has set up splendidly integrated mass transit systems comprising the Red & Green Lines of the Dubai Metro, a giant fleet of public buses comprising more than 1420 buses, and diverse marine transit means consisting of traditional abras, water bus, water taxi and Ferry Dubai. The present and future stages require focusing on operating, maintaining, managing and integrating mass transit systems efficiently as well as qualifying nationals on these fields to be competent enough to knowledge in operating and managing public transport means at world-class standards.
"The two parties share several common objectives and can exchange best expertise in the field of infrastructure, particularly as Hong Kong, being a small urbanized city, is an excellent example for developing the infrastructure particularly in the field of mass transport," concluded Al Tayer.
For his part H.E. David Yam, Director of International Business at MTR Corporation, hailed the efforts of the RTA in securing rapid transition into mass transit system through undertaking the Dubai Metro project and upgrading bus transit system. "This MoU marks the setting up of long-lasting partnership relationships with the RTA to the benefit of both parties in delivering high quality services to mass transit commuters," said Yam.
Emirate: Dubai
Date: Oct 15, 2011
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