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‘Park and Ride’ to ease traffic on Capital roads
‘Park and Ride’ to ease traffic on Capital roads Staff Reporter / 19 January 2014 The initiative allows commuters to park their vehicles outside the city and travel within the city in buses free of charge. In order to tackle the ever-increasing vehicular traffic in the capital, the Department of Transport (DoT) has rolled out a ‘Park and Ride’ initiative, allowing commuters to park their vehicles outside the city and travel within the city in buses free of charge. The DoT said the scheme has been designed for motorists coming from Abu Dhabi’s suburbs and other emirates, as they can park their vehicle for free in the 600 parking bays available at Zayed Sports City, and commute free of charge for unlimited times on the same day to various areas in Abu Dhabi. A bus shuttle service launched from Zayed Sports City will see a bus travel every 15 minutes at peak hours and every 30 minutes at normal hours of the day. The initially free service for car parking at Zayed Sports City and commuting to and from the city is available from 6am till 8.30pm, Sunday to Thursday. Special tickets are available at the booth on site at Zayed Sports City. The ticket, which will be free to the driver and a maximum three passengers of the vehicle, is valid for one full day and can be used for unlimited bus journeys in Abu Dhabi. The aim of the Park and Ride scheme is to enable drivers to park their vehicles for free in a safe and secure environment while continuing the rest of their journey on the public transport network. It has many advantages such as reducing parking demands downtown; reducing road congestion and the need to build more road capacity; minimising environmental impacts; and reducing costs for motorists’ fuel. Director of the DoT’s Integrated Transport Planning (ITP) Badr Al Qamzi, said: “Park and Ride is one of the key strategic initiatives undertaken by the DoT in 2012 in the Corniche area as a pilot project to enable a larger number of motorists to park their vehicles and continue their journey to other parts of the city for free. Finding a parking space for their vehicles or arriving at a certain time can consume a lot of time and efforts, especially in congested areas downtown. The availability of Wifi (free internet) on board Park and Ride public transport buses ensures an added value to commuters.” news@khaleejtimes.com For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
RAK Airways suspends services
RAK Airways suspends services Abdul Basit / 1 January 2014 Airline is looking at new options to start operations again with big plans. RAK Airways has suspended operations for its restructuring process, and will be in the air again in a better way, according to the airline’s director of communications. “The airline suspended operations for re-growth and restructuring. We need to move forward and will use this time to re-evaluate and also see what are the best options for RAK Airways’ future,” Elizabeth Percy told Khaleej Times over the phone. “There are options for new investors and we are just looking at new options to start operations again with big plans,” she emphasised. The airline is likely to make another announcement next month regarding the future road-map, aviation sources said. Earlier in the day, the airline announced the suspension of all operations, until further notice, from January 1 (Wednesday). None of the passengers will be affected with the decision, as the airline did not book any flight for 2014, Percy said. On Tuesday the airline operated its last two flights — Doha and Peshawar — before suspending operations. “The decision for suspending operations was taken following increased pressures on the carrier’s performance due to continuous market conditions, increased operating costs and the impact of the regional political instability on the overall aviation industry,” the airline said in a statement. RAK Airways, which re-launched in 2010 with a new livery and under new management, was operating flights from RAK International Airport to Doha, Peshawar, Islamabad, Lahore, Jeddah, Riyadh, Calicut and Kathmandu. ‘‘The board of directors took the decision today to suspend the operations until further notice. We believe this decision is in the best interest of the airline and its shareholders. We will take this time to re-evaluate the best options available for RAK Airways’ future as well as those that fit the industry requirements of the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah,” the statement said. Percy, who is also director of corporate communications for the RAK Department of Civil Aviation and RAK Airport, said that the airport operations will continue as usual for cargo, charter and other services. Responding to a question, she said that the affected employees of the airline would be compensated under the UAE Labour Law. In October, 2013 RAK Airways celebrated its third anniversary. — abdulbasit@khaleejtimes.com Continue reading
Dubai’s record fireworks leave the world breathless
Dubai’s record fireworks leave the world breathless (Muaz Shabandri ) / 1 January 2014 A staggering 450,000 fireworks were launched in six minutes to set the new world record. Record fireworks at Palm Jumeirah on New Year. – KT photos by M. Sajjad and Shihab The world watched in awe as Dubai set a new world record for the largest ever firework display. A dazzling array of colours illuminated the night sky above the city as a staggering 450,000 fireworks were launched in six minutes to set the new world record. The grand show started with a unique pyrotechnic countdown around the Palm Jumeirah’s crescent. Reminiscent of the spectacular opening of Atlantis, The Palm, in 2008, the show once again put Dubai on the world map with people from all over the world coming together to celebrate the new year. Source: DowntownDubai channel via YouTube The spectacular show provided a perfect backdrop for thousands of parties hosted around the city as Dubai added its name to the record books once again. For tourists and residents, the pyrotechnic extravaganza was yet another reminder of Dubai’s success story. Choreographed to perfection, the islands of The World also lit up in the aura of sparkling lights. Each of the seven continents was represented in the celebration of oneness with the world map recreated using pyrotechnics. For Saviona Maitra, a tourist watching the show from Jumeirah beach, the show promised the best any city could offer. “There is no reason to be in any other city than Dubai. People come here and see something they cannot find in any other city of the world. It always lives up to the expectations,” said Saviona. The fireworks started at the Burj Khalifa as the iconic tower lit up in a brilliant show of colours and designs. For the next 15 minutes, thousands of people on Dubai’s beaches were entertained to more fireworks with the Burj Al Arab also providing stunning reflections of the galaxy of colours. The world record attempt started well after midnight, with the crescent lighting up at around 12:20pm after the shows at the Burj Khalifa and the Burj Al Arab were completed. More than 200 pyrotechnicians planned the show at Palm Jumeirah and the islands of The World for over 10 months and Phil Grucci, the show’s choreographer and man behind ‘Fireworks by Grucci’ had every inch planned to perfection. Watching the night sky turn into a canvas of colours from a viewing deck at the Burj Khalifa, Phil said: “It has been planned for several months and Dubai wanted to break the record with something spectacular. Today, the world can see the scale of the show.” Roads leading up to The Dubai Mall and Palm Jumeirah were choc-a-block with cars trailing for several kilometres. Sultan bin Sulayem, representing the government, received the certificate from Guinness World Record shortly after the fireworks were over as the new record now belongs to Dubai. The celebrations will go down as yet another memorable moment in the country’s history as Dubai etched a special place in the hearts of people who watched the show. muaz@khaleejtimes.com Continue reading
