Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) is set to expand the total length of cycling lanes in the emirate to 850km by 2030 from 316km this year.
The RTA has strategic plans to make Dubai one of the best cities in providing cycling lanes and supporting non-mechanical mobility means, remarked Mona Al Osaimi, the director of strategic planning. She was speaking at one of the sessions focused on integrated strategic transportation plans during the MENA Transport Congress and Exhibition being held in Dubai.
Al Osaimi gave an elaborate explanation of the improvement of mobility operations in Dubai, especially through public transport which had witnessed a quantum shift over the past years. “RTA had a plan for supporting walking mobility in Dubai based on six key pillars: development of modern cities, caring for pedestrian services, developing legislation for using private vehicles, paying attention to cycling lanes, supporting public transport mobility, and improving the benefits relating outlets, pavements on streets of the emirate.”
Besides Al Osaimi, the others who took part in the session included Christian Brink, Director of Business Development, Next Bike Company, and Antony Reynaldi, Business Development Manager in PBSC, and Nasma Hannawi, Researcher in London University College.
In his address, Brink focused on making bicycles in megacities a means of entertainment and mobility as well. He pointed out that his company had served in five projects in Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, and Turkey and contributed significantly to improving the bicycle sharing system which has become common in several global cities.
Antony pointed out soaring temperature would not be an obstacle for the use of bicycles in summer as “frost doesnt stop the people of Montreal, Canada from cycling”.
Hannawi concluded the session by calling on government departments to address the means of public transport and cycling lanes when making plans for cities and mega residential districts. She called on GCC countries to encourage the use of public transport and cycling, rather than the semi-total reliance on private vehicles.