Local developer Emaar Properties has announced that the first phase of the Dubai Trolley public transport system serving its Downtown district will start operating in early 2015.

The first stage of the Dubai Trolley is going to a be a one-line electric tram that will operate along a 1 kilometre stretch of the Sheikh Mohamed bin Rashid Boulevard.

It has been confirmed by Emaar that at a later stage the tramway will be 7km long and will circle Dubai Mall.

The project was initially announced in 2008, but Emaar. At the time, Emaar revealed a 4.6km-long tramway that will cost of AED500m ($136m) to build.