The UITP MENA conference, titled ‘Smart Transportation for Sustainable Cities,’ came out with critical recommendations to enhance the public transport system in the MENA region. The conference concluded in Salalah on Wednesday.
The event was held at Sultan Qaboos Youth Complex for Culture and Entertainment under the auspices of HH Sayyid Marwan bin Turki al Said, Governor of Dhofar.
An important outcome of the conference was a report on walkability in the MENA region.
The conference witnessed a large number of national and international participants and evoked an engaging response from not less than 450 survey responses from the public and authorities over ‘walkability’ across five Mena cities.
The responses offered insights into current strategies and public perceptions regarding walkability. The findings emphasised the need to improve infrastructure, safety, enforcement, collaboration and partnerships to enhance walkability.
The report recognised walkability as vital for the future of cities, directly impacting livability and quality of life.
“It enhances first and last-mile connectivity, thereby boosting public transport ridership,” said the report with an assurance that authorities are actively working to shift mindsets and implement incentives to encourage walking.” It called for technological investments in green mobility, which is crucial to advancing public transport.
The region, according to the experts, is witnessing the development of green mobility and micro-mobility strategies to improve connectivity.
They called for stress from authorities and operators to restrict car ownership and promote public transport.
As a matter of comprehensive and collaborative approach, the conference recommended community involvement in policies related to infrastructure development.
“Political support is crucial for the successful implementation of these strategies and emphasis needed on high-quality network design, service excellence and ensuring accessibility and frequency of services.” The speakers called upon the authorities to optimise bus routes using big data and AI, repurpose fleets creatively and design buses for easy recycling.
“Innovative initiatives include powering buses with biodiesel from date seeds and harvesting energy from roads,” they said.
There was general agreement for electrification and financial support, as the electrification of public transport involves complex interactions between multiple stakeholders.
“Financial institutions play a critical role in supporting sustainable public transport projects and assisting governments in their transition to Net-Zero.” The conference underscored the importance of a unified effort among all entities, with clearly defined roles for stakeholders.
The recommendations set forth a road-map aimed at reclaiming public spaces, enhancing the quality of life and transitioning towards sustainable, efficient urban mobility in the Mena region.
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