Dubai traffic costs US$1.25 billion to local economy
UAE. Traffic congestion, the single biggest concern among Dubai's 1.44 million residents, inflicts losses of AED4.6 billion (US$1.25 billion) or 3.15% of the Emirate's AED146 billion (US$39.8 billion) GDP a year, the Dubai newspaper Gulf news reported.
The paper quoted a senior government official as estimamting the value of time "aborted" due to the dire traffic situation at AED4.6 billion a year," Dubai's fast-track growth will dictate how the traffic situation changes as a road traffic control mechanism is likely to come into place that will be based on the post-Metro demand and supply scenario, he said.
This may include curbs on the issuance of driving licences and an increase in vehicle registration fees and road tax.
"We need transportation policies and legislation to create the desired balance between demand and supply. Dubai is a vehicle-oriented city. It has a car ownership rate of 541 cars per 1,000 population. This figure exceeds that of cities like New York [444 cars per 1,000 population], London [345 cars per 1,000 population] and Singapore [111 cars per 1,000 population]," Dr Abdul Malek Ebrahim Abu Shaikh, head of Transportation Studies and Planning at the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), told Dubai's property developers at a breakfast meeting Thursday.
He said that congestion was one of the main transportation challenges facing the RTA. If this trend continues, then by 2020, there will be 5.3 million registered cars in Dubai.
The intention is to discourage the use of private vehicles, and encourage people to use public transport.
Dubai's current urban area is 500 square kilometres, but this is expected to increase about 4.5 times to 2,200 square kilometres by 2020. The Emirate's current 1.44 million population is projected to jump to 5.25 million by 2020.
Currently, insufficient road capacity is the main reason for the congestion in the city. Dr Abdul Malek said the RTA will expand the road network.
The number of roads across Dubai Creek, for instance, will be increased from the present 40 to 47 by 2008, and around 100 by 2020. There will also be nine new ring roads by 2020.
The cost of road projects currently in progress exceeds Dh8 billion.
For pedestrians, 71 new grade-separated pedestrian crossings are under design and construction. This includes the Dubai Metro crossings. A bicycle network masterplan is also being developed, and will be implemented in phases. Source
The paper quoted a senior government official as estimamting the value of time "aborted" due to the dire traffic situation at AED4.6 billion a year," Dubai's fast-track growth will dictate how the traffic situation changes as a road traffic control mechanism is likely to come into place that will be based on the post-Metro demand and supply scenario, he said.
This may include curbs on the issuance of driving licences and an increase in vehicle registration fees and road tax.
"We need transportation policies and legislation to create the desired balance between demand and supply. Dubai is a vehicle-oriented city. It has a car ownership rate of 541 cars per 1,000 population. This figure exceeds that of cities like New York [444 cars per 1,000 population], London [345 cars per 1,000 population] and Singapore [111 cars per 1,000 population]," Dr Abdul Malek Ebrahim Abu Shaikh, head of Transportation Studies and Planning at the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), told Dubai's property developers at a breakfast meeting Thursday.
He said that congestion was one of the main transportation challenges facing the RTA. If this trend continues, then by 2020, there will be 5.3 million registered cars in Dubai.
The intention is to discourage the use of private vehicles, and encourage people to use public transport.
Dubai's current urban area is 500 square kilometres, but this is expected to increase about 4.5 times to 2,200 square kilometres by 2020. The Emirate's current 1.44 million population is projected to jump to 5.25 million by 2020.
Currently, insufficient road capacity is the main reason for the congestion in the city. Dr Abdul Malek said the RTA will expand the road network.
The number of roads across Dubai Creek, for instance, will be increased from the present 40 to 47 by 2008, and around 100 by 2020. There will also be nine new ring roads by 2020.
The cost of road projects currently in progress exceeds Dh8 billion.
For pedestrians, 71 new grade-separated pedestrian crossings are under design and construction. This includes the Dubai Metro crossings. A bicycle network masterplan is also being developed, and will be implemented in phases. Source
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