Doha: As alternate and sustainable means of transportation become popular modes of movement across Qatar, WestBay and the Corniche have been identified as the top places with the most traffic for micromobility.
“The main areas of operation for the time being are West Bay and Corniche,” said Mohamed Abouhussein, Regional General Manager for Middle East and Africa at Lime, whose company debuted in Qatar in January this year, adding that the company plans to move to other areas.
Speaking to The Peninsula, Abouhussein added that while the two places are prime areas, integrating scooter and bike lanes into transportation plans would spread micromobilty across the country. He, however, said this change would come sequentially.
“It’s not that cities would completely change their focus and start developing scooter or bike lanes at the expense of other forms of transportation. They can integrate that into transportation plans; more people will use it as a common transport method. From there, the investment grows, more people move to it, and then you build the demand,” he added.
In the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), governments are incorporating smart mobility into urban planning to reduce traffic congestion, accidents, air pollution, and emissions.
Besides, population explosion in urban areas could lead to density and pollution, increasing resource stress. According to the United Nations, 55% of the world’s population lives in urban areas today.
That number is expected to rise to 68% by 2050. Hence, Qatar and other countries in the GCC are investing in green and resource-efficient cities of the future, creating urban infrastructure and services that are both resilient and sustainable.
One of the core features of the Transportation Master Plan for Qatar 2050 (TMPQ) is to expand facilities that support the transition to sustainable transportation. The aim is to integrate elements that serve all users of land transportation systems and networks through 2050 to improve their interconnectivity, enhance road safety, reduce congestion, and preserve the environment.
Micromobility has several advantages in this regard compared to other forms of transportation. It’s a lot more positive towards carbon than other forms of mobility. It helps cities contribute to their climate sustainability goals and provides a quicker mode of movement in some areas. Micromobility also allows connecting the first and last mile from public transportation.
Abouhussein noted that the sector is moving in the right direction with growing demand, especially among young people, and the infrastructure being developed. He added that cities in the GCC are keen to incorporate this into their transportation vision, with experts expecting a rise in the next few years.
“Like any change, it takes time to instil and embrace it,” Abouhussein said. “It takes time for consumer habits to change and for people to start viewing it (micromobility) as less of a leisure trip and more of a sustainable transport method. So far, we’ve been having a lot of leisure, a bit less commuting, but we’re trying to push the commuter products to the right target market.”
