RTA to operates e-scooters in 10 Dubai districts from Q1 2022

The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has confirmed the start of civil site works for the infrastructure to support operations of the e-scooter in preparation for the launch of Phase I of the project which would cover 10 Dubai districts and start operation in the first quarter of 2022.

It culminates the success of the trial run phase which started in October 2020 in five key areas of Dubai. Until the end of September, e-scooters made up about half a million trips.

The RTA plans to expand the use and tracks of e-scooters to include specific residential areas, and 23 new districts subsequently.

“The initial phase covers Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard, Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai Internet City, Al Rigga, 2nd of December Street (specified track and zone), The Palm Jumeirah, and City Walk. It also covered safe roads in Al Qusais, Al Mankhool, and Al Karama communities as well as cycling tracks except for the cycling tracks of Seih Al Salam, Al Qudra, and Meydan,” said Mattar Mohammed Al Tayer, director-general, chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the RTA.

“The selection of these districts was guided by specific criteria, such as high population density, special development areas, areas served by metro stations and mass transportation, the availability of integrated infrastructure, and areas with a high level of traffic safety.”

He added that the trial operation of the e-scooter proved successful as a suitable means for individual commuting over short distances and first and last-mile trips. Customer satisfaction rating during the trial phase reportedly reached 82 per cent.

The RTA coordinated with Dubai Police to examine several international models of major cities in operating these e-scooters”RTA also conducted many benchmarking studies of e-scooter operations with a variety of international cities such as London, Paris, New York, Berlin, and Singapore. We have identified the key elements of streamlining the operation of shared and personalised e-Scooters. Such studies were based on four main aspects: the user, the electric scooter, the road and the business model with the operating companies,” noted Al Tayer.

The operation of the e-scooter is part of Dubai Government’s efforts to improve the quality of life and make residents happier, shift towards sustainable transport and make Dubai the preferred place to live and work as well as the preferred and the safest destination for visitors pic.twitter.com/SSlnkMqMGG

— RTA (@rta_dubai) December 11, 2021

RTA called on the public to avoid using electric scooters on tracks that are still under construction to avoid mishaps.

Over the past months, RTA conducted technical studies and user surveys to screen the views of service users and their observations for the project improvement. Field visits were carried out to verify the work in the new area to ensure their readiness before opening them for e-scooter users.

RTA also rolled out several initiatives to encourage road users to use e-scooters to facilitate access to and from mass transit stations.

The e-scooter is permitted to operate under strict guidelines and designated tracks. The rider and the renter must comply with the rules and regulations set by RTA, which are aligned with the traffic rules. They govern the use of e-scooters and the associated traffic safety stipulations such as the wearing of helmets. The e-scooter must be parked at designated places and not be left in places that trigger traffic bottlenecks. Riders must also ride cautiously and comply with all instructions and regulations relating to the areas where e-scooter riding is permitted, as mentioned in the apps designed for operators.