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Urban planners in the Middle East and North Africa were asked to develop cities built around mass non-motorized transport rather than expand infrastructures for the increase of vehicles on the region’s roads by transportation experts June 3 at the three-day workshop on “Sustainable Urban Mobility Planning,” hosted by the Automobile and Touring Club of the UAE.
“Cities in the member countries are growing at a rapid pace so we cannot continue with the old paradigm and just provide more road facilities for private vehicles,” said Manfred Breithaupt, senior transport adviser, GIZ. “We have to look how to better utilize the available space whilst providing mass transit to non-motorized transport wherever possible. Integration will be key and it is vital that we provide a better choice for travelers to have a real valid option against the use of private vehicles.”
ATCUAE President Mohammed Ben Sulayem added the necessity of changes to allow people to more around, he said.
“Dubai has shown the way forward with the Metro, and it’s obvious that more must be done to reduce traffic congestion on our roads,” Sulayem said.
