Dubai, Dubai Marina Tram

The Dubai Tram (previously the Al Sufouh Tram) system was designed to be an integral part of the Dubai transport network, linking the Dubai Metro and the Palm Monorail and running along Al Sufouh Road and Jumeirah Beach Road from Mall of the Emirates at one end to the Dubai Marina. After initially being planned for completion in 2009, when the first phase of the Dubai Metro was completed, it was first delayed until 2012, and it was subsequently announced that the Dubai Tram System was being delayed by another 2 years and would be ready in 2014 due to the downturn in the global economic climate. In 2013 Sheikh Mohammed officially unveiled the designs for the interiors of the trains and of the stations and plans were made to up the tempo of the development of the Dubai Tram so that it would indeed be ready by 2014. The tram testing was completed on schedule and the first phase of Dubai Tram was opened on 11 November 2014. On the opening day there was an inauguration ceremony and the tram was actually open to the public at 6.30am on Wednesday 12th November. Many of the RTA traffic projects for Dubai have been delayed in recent years due to the financial situation in the Emirates but it does seem that most of the projects will eventually be completed, most likely once the residential areas are themselves completed and occupied, to ensure full use of the Dubai trams and other forms of transport.