1.8m people in UAE use public transport on New Year's Eve

Dubai - The Metro network lifted 769,817 riders - comprising 509,089 riders using the Red Line, and 260,728 riders using the Green Line.

The number of riders lifted on board public transit means of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) on the eve of the New Year 2017 has clocked 1.79 million, statistics released by the RTA have revealed.

The Metro network lifted 769,817 riders - comprising 509,089 riders using the Red Line, and 260,728 riders using the Green Line. The Tram has served 32,850 riders, whereas public buses have lifted 393,763 riders. Marine transit modes have ferried 53,932 riders, while 543,329 riders have used the taxi service.

The RTA had mapped out a comprehensive traffic management plan for the Eve of the New Year, which always experiences heavy traffic, especially in the surrounds of Dubai Mall-Burj Khalifa, Palm Jumeirah and Dubai Water Canal.

The Plan was intended to ensure the integration of various mass transit modes, and the traffic systems in order to ease the movement of those celebrating the event from and to the said destinations. Accordingly, RTA has extended the operation hours of the metro & tram such that both services would run continuously from the dawn of 31/12/2016 up to the midnight of 01/01/2017.

• UAE