Studying the establishment of special bus routes to encourage the public to use public transportation

The Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, Engineer Suhail bin Mohammed Al Mazrouei, confirmed that the Ministry is currently studying the establishment of new lanes on the roads, which includes allocating special lanes for buses, similar to the “tram,” to reduce travel time and encourage the public to use mass transportation, as is applied in a number of countries, within the framework of efforts aimed at developing the transportation system and enhancing its efficiency.
Al Mazrouei explained, during today’s session of the Federal National Council to discuss the government’s policy regarding the safety and smooth flow of traffic, that the special lanes step aims to encourage the public to use mass transportation, which contributes to reducing traffic congestion and improving the smooth flow of movement on the roads, noting that developing the transportation infrastructure represents one of the basic pillars of achieving sustainability in the transportation sector.
Al Mazrouei stressed the importance of spreading awareness among the next generation about the necessity of using mass transportation, stressing the necessity of including this culture in educational curricula and promoting it from the early school stages, in order to establish positive behaviors among students that contribute to supporting the country’s trends towards more sustainable transportation.
He pointed out that mass transportation, including the Etihad Rail project, will have a pivotal role in reducing traffic on the roads, and providing effective and safe alternatives for transportation between the various emirates of the country, pointing out that the transportation sector will witness a qualitative transformation with the expansion of the application of self-driving car systems, and that these technologies will radically reshape the transportation system, so that the need for individuals to drive their vehicles themselves will be reduced.
He pointed out that the experiences of some countries that adopted these systems showed a significant decrease in the rates of traffic accidents and deaths, which reflects the positive impact of technology in enhancing road safety. He stressed that the UAE, thanks to its stimulating environment for the economy and its attractiveness to minds and competencies, is continuing to adopt the latest innovative solutions in the transportation sector, in a way that supports its vision towards a more sustainable and efficient future.