Dubai outperforms key global cities in ease of traffic flow: report

Dubai scored top ranks in the traffic flow index, according to TomTom, a multinational company that specialises in monitoring congestion and traffic worldwide.

TomTom’s 2022 traffic index report analysed 390 cities across 56 countries, on six continents covering over 543 billion kilometres of road networks.

According to the report, Dubai outperformed major global cities, including Los Angeles, Montreal, Sydney, Berlin, Rome, and Milan, in terms of the average time needed to travel a distance of 10 kilometres in the central business district (CBD).

In Dubai, the journey time was recorded at 12 minutes per 10 kilometres, compared to the average of 21 minutes per 10 kilometres in the referenced cities.

In contrast, the best-performing city on this index was Almere in the Netherlands, with eight minutes per 10 kilometres, while the lowest-performing city was London, with 36 minutes per 10 kilometres.

In the same index, Dubai ranked highly among cities, recording a time of nine minutes per 10 kilometres in the urban area, with an average speed of 59 kilometres per hour. This compares to the top-performing city, Greensboro in the US, with seven minutes and 40 seconds per 10 kilometres and an average speed of 74 kilometres per hour.

Meanwhile, the lowest-performing city was Bogota in Colombia, with 24 minutes per 10 kilometres and an average speed of 19 kilometres per hour.

RTA has completed initiatives to support traffic flow

Mattar Al Tayer, director-general, chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), expressed his deep gratitude for the distinguished results achieved by Dubai in the traffic index.  “RTA has, since establishment, completed a multitude of enormous infrastructure projects. Such projects are highlighted by Dubai Metro, which now spans 90 kilomtres after the launch of Route 2020, the 11-kilometre Dubai Tram.”

#Dubai has secured exceptional rankings in the traffic flow index, as per the 2022 traffic index report by TomTom, a multinational company specializing in monitoring congestion and traffic worldwide.https://t.co/X0aWQV0e55 pic.twitter.com/oYQ8M7JSVX

— RTA (@rta_dubai) August 20, 2023

“RTA had also carried out many road projects that contributed to expanding the total length of the road network from 8,715 lane-kilometre in 2006 to 18,475 lane-kilometre in 2022. The number of bridges and underpasses climbed up eight folds from 129 bridges and underpasses in 2006 to 884, and the number of pedestrian bridges and underpasses has also soared 5 folds from 26 pedestrian bridges and underpasses to 122 during the same period, including Dubai Metro and Tram bridges. The length of the cycling tracks increased from nine kilometres in 2006 to 543 kilometres in 2022,” added Al Tayer.

He said the authority has focused on developing applications and technical systems to achieve optimal utilisation of transport networks and facilities and traffic management, namely the Traffic Control Centre and the Enterprise Command and Control Centre (EC3). “The projects undertaken had enhanced the UAE’s global competitiveness and ranked it first in the quality of roads worldwide for five years in a row. It also led to the strengthening of Dubai’s global position in terms of traffic and congestion levels.”

Al Tayer said the authority’s efforts had contributed to the development of the roads and public transport network, which brings great benefits to the economy and society, as the total cumulative value of time and fuel savings as a result of these projects amounted to over Dhs262bn between 2006 and 2022.”

The emirate’s fully integrated public transport network has contributed to reducing dependence on private vehicles and reducing traffic congestion.