Three major projects to ease traffic in Dubai were opened by Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

The projects, costing Dh300 million ($81.68 million), include the new floating bridge linking the two banks of Dubai Creek, the waterbus project and the new articulated buses, a Gulf News report said.

Shaikh Mohammad inspected a new articulated bus, one of a fleet of 80 buses, which are run and managed by the Road Transport Authority (RTA) as part of its integrated plan to revamp mass transport.

Mattar Al Tayer, chairman and chief executive of the RTA, said the floating bridge will help to reduce traffic by 37 per cent on Al Maktoum Bridge, over which more than 150,000 vehicles pass each day.

The floating bridge, a first-of-its-kind project in the UAE, is built out of 20-metre-wide hollow concrete blocks that will float on water, the report said.

Al Tayer said the water bus project includes 10 buses in the first phase at a total cost of Dh7 million. Each bus can accommodate 36 passengers.

The ten water buses, manufactured locally, will operate on four commuter service routes and one tourist route.

The tourist service route will extend from Al Shindagha station to Al Seef station and cost Dh25 for each person for the 25-minute trip.  A one-way trip across the creek will cost Dh4.