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UAE working to integrate all modes of transport

The UAE is working on legislation to integrate all modes of transport and make the country more urban and people-centric.

This was revealed to Khaleej Times exclusively by Dr Abdullah bin Mohammed Belhaif Al Nuaimi, UAE Minister of Public Works, on the sidelines of the International Transport Forum 2014 which kicked off in Leipzig, Germany, on Wednesday.

The three-day annual summit, themed ‘Transport for a Changing World’, is being attended by ministers from 54 member countries, business and civil society leaders and top academics.

“The plan is to integrate public buses, metros, trams, rails, airports, boats, walkways, sidewalks and all possible means of transport in one comprehensive scheme,” Dr Nuaimi said. “The procedures are being discussed for a quick implementation.”

The UAE is the only country in the Middle East to have a law for shipment and land transport, unveiled last year.

Dr Nuaimi said the session on ‘Designing Cities for People’ had come up with solutions more suitable for cities that are more than 100 to 500 years old.

But UAE cities are young. Moreover, they are built so that they can be expanded and have new technologies implemented: “We are working on accumulative solutions from the very beginning, planning not only for the present but more importantly for the city in the coming 50 years.”

However, some of the proposals discussed at the session could be implemented in the traditional and heritage-based areas to make them more urban and welcoming, “without compromising our history”.

“Our cities are well designed, can be expanded and have been planned to be friendly to people and the environment alike,” he noted.

Dr Nuaimi also said Abu Dhabi and Dubai, for example, have a variety of public transport options, encouraging residents to opt for them instead of using their own cars all the time.

The government was seeking to make people aware of the importance of public transport: “We are mainly adopting the air-conditioned mall-based approach instead of expanding traditional markets to provide a solution for walking, shopping, and communication year-round.”

Though no one can fight nature and the UAE faces the challenges of high temperature and humidity just as the West faces snow and cold, life in the UAE, he pointed out, is very flexible with walking and biking possible for over seven months in a year.

The Leipzig summit will also focus on climate change adaptation, extreme events and various aspects of transport like shaping transport for a new energy future and sustainable transport for all.

Master practitioners will also discuss how an adequate life-cycle network and infrastructure performance can be ensured during extreme events and in a changing and uncertain climate and the key challenges of keeping pace with this changing world.

ahmedshaaban@khaleejtimes.com