Time to fast-track railways?(Reprint)

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Barry King says...Next stop for UAE must be a railway

News that the passenger rail link planned between Dubai and Abu Dhabi is still on track is music to the ears of commuters.

It will make life easier for business travellers and tourists alike. We've all dreaded the thought of making that incredibly dull, and potentially deadly drive between Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

Some of us will have cancelled appointments because we couldn't bare the thought of it, or because we value our lives.

In this era of modern-technology and superfast internet connections (OK, maybe not in the UAE, but you get the point) there's a case that we could do our bit for the planet by cutting travel and opting for video conferencing.

But there's nothing like face-to-face interaction, without a whopping, flatscreen monitor in the way. That's why world leaders still fly round the world for tea - you never know what might come out of a tete-a-tete.

So, as Abu Dhabi begins to play a bigger role in Dubai's future, a high-speed train between the two should be a priority. Forget malls, real estate or freight, a passenger link should get full steam ahead. Rather than stepping out of a sweaty car after battling angry motorists, a train allows you to rest and prepare for that big meeting. It will also boost inter-emirates tourism. And it may well help Dubai meet that ambitious target of zero road deaths by 2020.

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Mark Summers says...Don't rail against a minor delay

When it comes to the economic benefits of high-quality transport infrastructure, those of us resident in the UAE need look no further than the success of the Dubai Metro. Having connected the different districts of Dubai, it's natural attention would turn to doing likewise across the UAE. The newly created Etihad Rail this week said it is prioritising the building of a freight network over a passenger line between Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Some are disappointed by this. A high-speed rail link between the twin engines of the UAE's economic growth is an enticing prospect.

But the project is still in the works, and any delay won't be a serious setback. Both Dubai and Abu Dhabi are forecast to grow this year, without a rail track in sight. Indeed the distance between the two is decreasing every day as the 'New Dubai' of the marina, and the expansion of the capital towards Yas Island cut the time of a car journey between the two to under an hour. Buses leave every 15 minutes, and most firms have offices in both places.

As experts urge Dubai to focus on its "real economy"- they mean trade - it's understandable that a rail network to move products rather than people is the priority. While they get on with freight, we shouldn't moan about the wait.

This article was originally published by www.7days.ae.

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