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Station FAQs

How many stations are there on the Red Line?
There are 29 stations on the red line, 24 elevated, 4 underground and 1 at grade (street level).

How will the people move from the one side of Sheikh Zayed road to the other side? a. By using the elevated air-conditioned sky bridges.
b. By using the existing underpass.
c. In some locations, there will be a travelator (Palm Jumeriah).
d. By shuttle bus

What type of facilities are available at the stations?
The stations on the Dubai Metro line offer many external facilities such as retail outlets, kiosks, coffee shops, boutiques, places to eat and tourist information bereaus.

Which stations have car parking facilities?
Currently on the Red Line, car parking facilities area available at Rashidiya and Jumeirah Islands both having 3,000 spaces each. There are only a few car parking spaces available at the other Metro stations. However, these stations have good integration with other forms of transport such as taxis, buses and water taxis all within easy reach of the station.

Are the stations air-conditioned?
Yes all the stations and the trains are fully air-conditioned to a mean temperature.

Will there be prayer rooms made available for the public?
Due to the size of the stations, there is no provision for prayer rooms.

Are there washrooms/toilets available at the stations?
Yes all the stations will have washroom / toilet facilities for the public.

Do you have any special facilities to help the disabled passengers?

  • For the visually impaired: tactile guide path; Braille on TVMs; lifts and passenger equipment.
  • For the mobility impaired: Lifts and ramps.
  • Wheelchair spaces are provided in every compartments.

Do you have first aid and passenger care systems?
There are first aid rooms at the stations and the station staff has been trained to administer first aid whenever required. They will work closely with ambulance and hospitals for passenger care service whenever necessary.

What are the special facilities that you will have inside the trains?
The elderly, injured, special needs people and pregnant women will have the choice of priority seating. The compartments will be equipped with audiovisual devices, passenger information display and public address in Arabic and English. Clear signage will show the route map of the metro and other directions for passengers. Closed circuit television in all trains will ensure a safe journey. There is also wireless Internet coverage inside the trains.

Train Time Table Information

1.Do you operate extra services for special events?
We take into account special events when planning our services in advance and wherever possible we will always endeavour to provide additional services to cope with passenger demand.

2.Do you intend to increase the frequency of the services in the future?
We will closely monitor customer travel patterns and will adjust the timetable/frequency accordingly if it becomes necessary.

3.How frequent are the trains?
The trains will operate every 3 minutes and 45 second during peak times.

4.How long does the train take from Rashidiya to Jafza?
69 minutes

5.Why do you operate 3 peak services each day?
We operate 3 peak services to cater for passenger demand, 0630 - 0830am, 1230 - 1400pm and 1730 - 2100, this is when the system will be at its busiest with commuters using the system to get to and from their place of business and for customers wishing to make use of the Metro at lunch time.

6.Will the service get heavily overloaded during special festivities / special events - making it unsafe to travel on?
"Serco always put customer safety first.
Serco prepares special safety plans for events which will attract more passengers including crowd control measures, provision of additional trains, increase train frequency, and deployment of additional frontline and security staff."

7.How will Serco/RTA ensure that the trains run on time?
"a. The most sophisticated train control system is used to monitor and control train movement which will ensure punctuality.
b. A state-of-the-art Operations Control Centre overseeing train movement by well trained controllers will also ensure train run on schedule.
c. Redundant design and condition monitoring alarms for safety critical equipment
d. Proactive preventive maintenance "

8.What are the service hours?
Typically, train service starts from 5:00 am and ends at 1: 00 am. Every station will have the train service hours stated at the entrance

9.What is the route of the red line?
The first phase of the Dubai Metro (red line) will operate from Rashidiya to Jebel Ali, including stations at some of the most popular areas in and around Dubai. Please see our station list for further details.

10.Have other routes been considered?
Yes other routes have been considered and the commencement of the second phase of the Dubai Metro (green line) is due to open in March 2010, this will include services from Al Quasais to Jadaf areas, with two interchange stations allowing passengers to "swap" between the red and green line with ease.

Customer Services Information

1.How can I make a complaint about the Dubai Metro?
If you have a complaint, the easiest way to register this would be to call the RTA on 800 - 90 - 90, alternatively, you can visit the RTA website at www.rta.gov.ae and submit your complaint via the website, we endeavour to respond to all correspondence within 14 days.

2.How can I make a suggestion about the Dubai Metro?
Suggestions are always welcomed from our customers. You can call the RTA on 800 -90 -90 or alternatively visit the RTA website at www.RTA.gov.ae and submit your suggestion via the web portal. You can also approach any station staff with your suggestions.

3.I have lost an item of property who do I contact/where do I go?
If you have lost an item of property please speak to a member of Dubai Metro Staff in the first instance, alternatively please contact the Customer Care Centre on 800 -90 -90.

4.How do I contact Dubai Metro Customer Relations team?
In the first instance please contact the RTA on 800 90 90, your call will then be routed to the necessary department.

5.How can I find out about public transport in and around Dubai?
You can find out information about public transport in and around Dubai by visiting www.RTA.gov.ae or by calling 800 -90 -90.

6. Can I take large items on board the train such as a surf board?
No you can not. You are able to take on board smaller items, such as: hand luggage.

7. Is there a leisure guide available providing information about interesting things to see and do along the Metro route?
At present you can visit the website which will provide all the relevant travel information you require, alternatively please speak to one of our agents at any station or on board any train who will be more than happy to assist you with information

8.Is there a main office I can go to for information or advice?
The RTA has a main Customer Contact Centre where customers can visit. The Centre is located on Marrakech road next to RTA main office in Umm Al Ramool of Rashidiya area. The contact centre is open from 0730am until 1430pm.

9. What should I do if there is an emergency on board the train and I am unable to locate a staff member?
If you are unable to locate a member of staff, please proceed to the emergency call point located inside the vehicle. When activated, you will be able to communicate with our staff at the operations control centre . They will be able to assist and advise you.
10. What should I do if there is an emergency on the station and I cannot find any staff members?
In the unlikely event that you are unable to locate a member of staff, please proceed to the emergency call box located on all platforms, this will give you direct access to the Operating Control Centre where staff will be able to assist and advise you.

11. What are the Key Performance Targets that Serco need to achieve for managing the Dubai Metro?
"Train punctuality (99%)
Train availability (99%)
Equipment availability (99%)
Customer satisfaction through surveys"

12. Will there be any penalty in the case that the service targets are not met?
Yes; there will be penalty; Serco will be putting in every effort to make sure that targets will be met

13. Is there any safety targets?
Safety is a pre-requisite; all safety critical systems and equipments are designed to meet the required railway safety standards

14. How will Serco/RTA ensure that the staffs are helpful and the services are of good quality?
"a. Through careful selection of staff
b. Provision of customer service training to all service staff
c. Build a service culture
d. Monitor our performance tthrough the KPIs and customer satisfaction surveys"

15. How many languages will the train and station attendants speak? Will the passenger information system be in Arabic & English only?
"a. There will be staff able to speak Arabic and English at the stations and onboard
b. Serco is looking at provision of multi-language support through the Customer Service Call Centre"
Staff and Training

16. As Dubai Metro is the first Metro in the Region, how can you make use of the local talent?
"Serco will recruit local talents into different positions:
a. Corporate positions including HR, Training, Finance, IT , administration and Marketing that generic skills will be required; these jobs should attract UAE's from their own professional fields.

b. Technical jobs: These jobs include engineers; technicians; operations staff (train, station and Operations Control); tailor-made training will be provided through trainee schemes to enable UAE’s joining Dubai Metro at the entry levels; these trainee schemes aim at developing graduate trainees to be promoted to Engineer supervisor level within 4 years;

c. General degree holders accelerated into operations supervisor level in 2 years; Vocational College graduates become fully qualified technicians in 2 to 3 years.

d. We will be working closely with Emiratisation Agencies such as Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation; Tanmia, the National Human Resource Development and Employment Authority"

17.What training will be provided to ensure that the Metro is well managed; operated and maintained?
"The following types of training will be provided:
a. Basic induction, safety, communications and customer service skill training will be organised for all new recruits

b. Job specific training including equipment operations and maintenance will be provided to operations and maintenance staff of all disciplines

c. Dubai Metro specific rules and procedures training will be provided to all staff required to operate or maintain the Metro at normal, degraded and emergency modes

d. Integrated emergency drilling will be provided to Dubai Metro staff and third parties that will participate in emergency situations

e. Management and leadership training will be provided to all supervisory and management staff

f. Administrative and computer skills training will be provided for general staff

g. Training needs studies will be organised regularly to identify any new or Refresher training requirements and that relevant training will be provided to ensure the competence of staff will be maintained and enhanced

h. Staff will be assessed at the end of training to make sure that knowledge and skills have been acquired through training

i. Performance appraisal will be used to assess the ability of the staff to apply their
learning at work; information collected will be used for organising Refresher or advanced
level training to staff"

18.What are the job opportunities and the percentage of UAE Nationals to be recruited for the Metro when it operates?
"a. The current target of Emiratisation is 30% to 50% of positions at and above manager level at initial years of Red Line and Green Line operations

b. 50% to 60% of positions at manager and above levels by 2015.


19.Can you tell us the total number of staff for the Metro?
2,200 staff will be recruited for the opening of Red Line and build up to 3,000 staff when both Red Line and Green Line open 5

20.Where will Serco recruit its staff from?
"Multiple sources:
a. UAE
b. GCC
c. Local expatriates
d. Overseas including many Asian countries"

21.How can the UAE Nationals apply for the jobs?
"a. Through Serco recruitment campaigns
b. Job advertisements through local news and website.
c. Career Fair in April

22.Will Serco organise recruitment in UAE and GCC countries? When and how?
"a. Yes
b. Starting April 2008
c. Through newspapers; website; recruitment agencies; career fair; recruitment at University campus; etc"

23.Can RTA staff join Serco Company?
As per the Serco contract to RTA, this is not allowed.

Safety and Security

1.What are your safety policies and procedures that will ensure the safety of your passengers?
"Safety Policy:
“Serco is committed to maintaining a safe and healthy working environment wherever we operate - for our people, our customers, our partners and contractors, those we are employed to serve and the public.”
Implementation of Safety Policy through:
a. Compliance of railway safety standards with specific reference to UK, US and European
Safety practices such as EN50126 (RAMS); NFPA130 (National Fire Protection); HS(G)65
(Health and Safety executive, UK); GE/GN8561 (Risk assessment)
b. Compliance with local safety legislations
c. Education of public
d. Safety consultation and communication of information
e. Safety Critical Rules and Instructions
f. Safety Critical Communications
g. Fitness to work and staff competence
h. Risk assessment and control
i. Health Occupation hazard control
j. Control of hazardous substances
k. System Safety
l. Fire safety
m. Certification of operations safety before opening"

2.What about security on trains at and near stations?
"Professionally trained security staff will be recruited to perform the following tasks:
a. Patrolling of stations and trains
b. 24/365 access control
c. Management of security risks
d. Enforcement of railway by-law
e. Cooperation with Police on law and order enforcement
f. There will be a dedicated Police team in managing security issues in Dubai Metro
g. Access control of safety critical equipments and systems
h. Availability of state-of-the-art safety equipment such as:
- CCTV in stations, trains, depots, track-side and sub-stations
- Emergency Call Points (ECP) on station platforms & trains
- Intrusion alarm systems
- Smart card operated access control system"

3.Will I be safe as a woman travelling alone or with my small children?
"a. Yes
b. 24/365 access control
c. Professionally trained and customer friendly security staff
d. Customer friendly station and train staff
e. Provision of Women and Children only cars
f. Sophisticated security system (CCTV & ECB)"

4.Is the train safe to ride as we see a lot of swerving curves in the track?
"a. Yes;
b. Dubai Metro is designed to meet international safety standards and its safety is assessed by an Independent Safety Assessor (ISA)
c. Safety design features provided by the automatic train control system includes automatic train supervision system, automatic train protection system; automatic train operations system
d. The Metro can run up and down the viaduct safely and up to 3-4% gradient "

5.I have heard there are major accidents sometimes on other railways, in some cases - with serious injuries or loss of life. Is anything being done to ensure the safety of passengers?
"a. Yes, safety of passengers is of the utmost importance and highest priority; the Metro system has been designed to meet international safety standards
b. RTA has engaged Independent Safety assessor to assess the safety case and readiness before the opening of the Metro; In addition, Serco has put in place
¨ Safety Policy
¨ Safety Procedures
¨ Safety Training
¨ Risk management
¨ Competence management
¨ Interface management
¨ Establishment of a strong safety culture; etc"

6. Is there any chance of a train breaking down; i.e. somewhere difficult to get to and/or being stuck for hours-on-end in a tunnel/on a bridge (I have heard this happens in London sometimes!). Is it likely here, and if so, do you have any contingency plans?
"a. The probability of such event will be very low.
b. In the unfortunate event if that happens; Serco has prepared contingency plans to ensure passenger safety and comfort.
c. station, train and OCC staff are also fully trained to handle such emergency situations.
d. first line response teams are strategically located throughout the system to allow them to get to the site as soon as possible for speedy recovery actions.
e. replacement transport will be mobilised to assist passengers to continue with their journey.
f. emergency services could be mobilised immediately when needed."

7.How long would it take to get the train running and if needed passengers out safely?
Depending on the incidents; passengers will be detrained at the next station; or through emergency exit points as soon as safety permits.
Environment

8. Will the railway make a lot of noise and prevent me and my family from sleeping at night?
"Noise mitigation measures include:
¨ Train design –low noise motors and air-conditioning equipments
¨ Viaduct enclosure design to reduce noise propagation
¨ Wheel rail interface is optimize through regular maintenance to reduce noise
¨ Track design - Anti-vibration is designed into the track system to minimize noise"

9.What is your environmental policy?
"Serco’s Environmental Policy: “To minimize negative impact to the environment and maximise positive benefits through effective management of environmental issues”
Continuous effort in:
¨ Minimize noise and Vibration
¨ Minimize land contamination
¨ Managing the impact of fuels and other liquids on the environment
¨ Control of waste storage, disposal and recycling
¨ Reduction of energy consumption
¨ Use of renewable resources
¨ Managing materials use and storage
¨ Reduction of emission to the atmosphere, etc"

Business Case

1.What are the benefits that Dubai Metro will bring to Dubai and the GCC Region?
- Smooth and integrated transport service to the commuters
¨ State-of-the-art technology in mass transit
¨ Best practice in transport service
¨ Employment opportunities
¨ Reduce traffic jam
¨ Productivity gain through reduction in traffic time
¨ Long term sustainability through energy efficiency and environmental protection"

2. What is your forecasted patronage?
"Expected patronage:
Year 1: about 600,000 per day; 1.8 million per year
By 2020: about 1.8 million per day; over 650 million per year"

3. What will be the expected market share?
Eventually achieving 30% when the full network opens

4.What is the return on investment with this Metro?
The information is confidential

5.What is the total value of the O&M Contract?
£500 million

6. Will all the operational cost be funded by the government?
The operations revenue including fare and on-fare revenue will contribute to the funding
Management

7. Is there a joint managing Board for RTA and Serco for the management of the Dubai Metro? Who will be the members and the constitution?
Yes, the board is comprised of key members of both parties, with overall control by RTA.

8. How will Serco handover the concession to RTA at the end of contract and will that guarantee that the O&M of the Metro will not be affected?
Serco is obliged to hand back the Dubai Metro to RTA in a similar condition as received at the outset, and is subject to a rigorous regime for care and maintenance of the assets of the railway.

9. Who is the spokesman of the Metro from Serco?
PR and Marketing Director; Mr. Adel AlAwadhi

10.Will Serco also manage the retail and advertising in the stations as well? If not, who will be managing that?
RTA will tender the station retail and advertising management on a competitive basis
Marketing

11. Is Serco managing the Marketing of Dubai Metro? If so, what market research have you done so far to understand the passenger profiles, their needs and expectations?
Serco will work with RTA closely to manage the marketing activities for Dubai Metro
¨ Market research is planned for this year to identify the profile of the potential customers; their transport needs and expectations as well as their perception of Dubai Metro
¨ Market research will include tracking of customer satisfaction, needs and perception"

12. What is the expected branding and market positioning of the metro?
"Branding:
¨ Modern
¨ Dynamic
¨ Energetic
¨ Fast and reliable
¨ Market Position
¨ Dubai Metro will target at market leadership positioning when the full network is built"

Others

1. What are the challenges that Serco will face in preparing for the opening of the Red Line and Green Line for the next two years?
"There are many challenges including:
¨ Preparing the launch of Dubai –participation in trial run and testing of systems and equipments; recruitment and training of 3,000 staff; setting operations and maintenance rules and procedures; coordination with RTA, Contractors and many third parties
¨ Formulating plans to ensure the provision of a world-class Metro service to the people of Dubai
¨ Formulating plans and setting policies on important areas including Operations Plan, Maintenance Plan, Health, Safety, Security, Quality and Environmental Plans, etc"

2. What is your estimation of the time and programme management for opening the Red Line on 090909?

The program is currently being planned.

3. How many bidders were there and how did Serco win?
There were 3 bidders with the best proposal for operations and maintenance being awarded.

4. When was the first trial Metro test run and for how long did it last?
First trial and test will take place in April this year and will continue until opening

5. When is the launch date?
Will there be a launch ceremony and who will be attending the launch ceremony? Launch date 9/9/9 – There are plans for the revenue service opening.

6. How will you compare the technology and service standards of Dubai Metro with other systems in the world?
The latest technology and best practice has been adopted; comparable with world class Metro and setting new standards in many cases including the integration of transport systems; train and station design

7. Will Serco operate the other new lines as well?
Serco is committed to the business in Dubai and will welcome the opportunity to be considered as the O&M service provider

8. Can people advertise inside the metro?
Yes

9. Is the Tram system coming up?
The tram system at Al Safouh is expected to be opened for revenue service in 2011.

10.Some stations carry names like Nakheel, Limitless? Do they pay for this?
The names are as per agreed in the Station Naming Rights contract.

11. Will you issue any rules or regulations on people to encourage them to stop using their cars and use the metro?
There are no plans for such rules and regulations.

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