GCC pumps $142bn into new roads, bridges
Abu Dhabi, September 19, 2011
Major road and bridge projects valued at $142 billion are underway or at the planning stages in the Gulf region, said the organisers of an upcoming event focusing on road, rail, parking and public transport in the GCC.
Gulf Traffic Exhibition and Conference will take place from December 12 to 14 at the Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre.
Highlighted by Abu Dhabi’s $25 billion Surface Transport Master Plan (STMP), the UAE’s $58 billion worth of road and bridge projects represents almost 40 per cent of the regional total.
Saudi Arabia has $48 billion dollars worth of projects either planned or underway, while Qatar continues with its infrastructure developments for the 2022 Fifa World Cup, with road projects valued at $17 billion in progress.
Underlining huge opportunities for transport sector manufacturers and suppliers within the region and worldwide, the scale of development in the Gulf is highlighted by figures collated by market research specialist Ventures Middle East ahead of Gulf Traffic.
Kuwait will be one of the most active markets for road projects in the next couple of years, with projects worth nearly $9.4 billion in the pipeline, including the Jaber Al Ahmed Al Sabah Causeway.
Oman has road projects worth $8 billion - 5.5 per cent of the regional total – with another $2 billion worth of schemes at various stages in Bahrain.
Increasing road safety and reducing traffic congestion are major concerns in the GCC countries which, according to the UN, have some of the highest road traffic fatality rates in the world.
These will be key issues for debate at the Gulf Traffic Conference, as regional and international experts in road traffic and transportation set out to establish the top priorities in terms of development.
“In support of the UN’s Decade for Action for Road Safety, the Gulf Traffic 2011 Conference provides the platform for regional and international leading experts in road traffic and transportation to collaborate with one another and establish what is already in the region, and clarify what needs to be brought in an effort to further develop and ensure road safety,” said Richard Pavitt, exhibition director for Gulf Traffic.
The two-day conference features a line-up of 14 expert speakers, with key topics including improving road safety through the role of the police, public awareness and participation.
Other major issues include developing strategies and plans for plausible alternative means of transport for residents, and exploitation of the advancements made and challenges faced in the implementation of intelligent transport systems.
Informa Exhibitions, organisers of Gulf Traffic, have so far confirmed an exhibitor line-up of 149 contractors, manufacturers and suppliers from 27 countries in the Middle East and overseas.
Run every two years, the fifth edition of Gulf Traffic is supported by Dubai Police and is held under the patronage of Lt Gen Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, Commander in Chief of Dubai Police. – TradeArabia News Service