Mubasher: People and governments across the Middle East (ME) region are investing their money into fast trains that can go around, over, or under traffic to reduce congestion and save time, Arabian Business reported, according to Curtin University Professor Peter Newman.
Dubai has two metro lines with 45 stations, while three additional lines are being planned, Arabian Business said, adding that an integrated light rail and bus system is largely accomplished.
“While cheap oil in the Middle East led to widespread car use, new vehicle sales have dropped due to the growth of rail in the region, according to Professor of Sustainability at Australia-based Curtin University, Peter Newman,” Arabian Business said.
Newman told Arabian Business that railways have become increasingly popular across the ME, with Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh metro network of six lines scheduled to launch in 2019, including a hi-speed rail linking Jeddah International Airport to Mecca and Medina.
The State of Kuwait also has a metro system planned to launch in 2023.
New car sales are dropping partly due to higher ride-sharing services provided by firms such as Uber, as well as traffic congestion in populated cities.
In the GCC alone, new car sales have decreased by 30% in the first quarter of 2017 compared to the same period in 2016, with sales in the UAE falling 28%, while in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain sales declined by 38% and 41%, respectively, Arabian Business said, according to a report by Autodata Middle East.
“The trackless train also has batteries on the roof, is recharged at stations in 30 seconds and is a quarter of the cost of light rail. It can enable AV-EV links with different kinds of local shared mobility systems, which can be fed into the station precincts and be recharged from the same solar-recharger, Newman said,” according to Arabian Business.
