The head of Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority appealed to global public transit bosses on Sunday to “work together to create a cleaner, safer and more sustainable future”. Mattar Al Tayer, the director general and chairman of the RTA, addressed the UITP Global Public Transport Summit in Barcelona. This summit, organized by the UITP, is the first of its kind since the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted the sector.
The pandemic has prompted many cities to prioritize environmentally friendly urban planning. Dubai has been selected to host the 2026 meeting, as announced on June 4th.
At the summit, industry leaders are advocating for trains, trams, and buses to play a central role in city planning. The focus is on reducing carbon emissions and limiting global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
Al Tayer said Dubai and the UAE, which will host the Cop28 climate summit this year, were “committed to promoting sustainable and innovative mobility”. According to Mattar Al Tayer, the share of public transport and shared journeys in Dubai has more than tripled since 2006, from 6% to 19.1%. The goal is to reach a 25% share by 2030 and have a quarter of trips conducted in autonomous vehicles by that time.
Promoting Sustainable Mobility
Dubai has plans to introduce a driverless taxi service this year. Additionally, the city aims to have a zero-emission fleet of buses by 2050. One of Dubai’s key urban planning concepts is the idea of “20-minute cities”. This concept ensures that residents can conveniently access most of their daily activities within a 20-minute travel radius.
Al Tayer told the Barcelona summit that Dubai had a “vision of being the world leader in seamless and sustainable mobility”. “Public transport is an essential part of our city’s infrastructure, leading the way in promoting sustainable mobility,” he said. “Let us continue to work together to create a cleaner, safer and sustainable future for ourselves and future generations.”
The RTA received a UITP award nomination for its effective integration of public transport during Expo 2020. In November, the Cop28 summit will be held at Expo City Dubai.
To emphasize their commitment to reducing carbon footprints through public transport, several UITP officials undertook a 16-hour train journey. They traveled from Brussels to Barcelona specifically for the summit.
