Dubai is again in news for all the green causes!!! Since last couple of years, this gulf city has taken significant steps in sustainable public transport systems like Metro, trams, electric power driven car etc?Now to facilitate the bus commuters, Govt has come up with the idea of bus stops which will use Solar energy in areas where there is no direct access to electricity?

Almost 400 new stops are being planned in the this phase, and a significant portion of which will be air-conditioned. Dubai became the first city in the world to have air-conditioned bus stops in 2008, converting 885 of its stops into sleek, aluminium-built shelters. However, at least 150 of these still don?t have electricity to power the air-conditioners. Once completed, the total number of air-conditioned bus shelters will be 1,285.

It is understood that It is a part of the master plan to leverage the public transport sector along with associated infrastructure in the emirate with the aim of bringing happiness and comfort to riders, especially during the blazing summer season.

Govt hope that the new shelters will prove an added attraction and encourage people to use public transport, helping push the share of public transport in Dubai to 20 per cent in 2020 and up to 30 per cent by 2030. Last year, RTA succeeded in raising the share of public transport in the overall transportation use in the city to 14 per cent from six per cent in 2006.

Ref : http://gulfnews.com/news/uae/transport/solar-energy-to-power-dubai-bus-stops-1.1541451