Mattar Al Tayer, chairman of the Supreme Committee for urban planning in Dubai, reviewed during a visit to Berlin, the best practices in urban planning, and fostering well-being as well as the development of infrastructure and integrated public transportation systems.
Al Tayer toured the Radbahn Berlin project, a developmental initiative aimed at transforming the spaces beneath metro bridges into vibrant corridors for cyclists and pedestrians. The project integrates infrastructure (such as metro stations and transportation systems) with public amenities (including green spaces), offering an enhanced user experience.
Al Tayer’s visit included a stop at MOIA Company, a subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group, specialising in sustainable transport. He was briefed on the company’s urban transportation services and plans to establish the first fully autonomous transportation network. Additionally, Al Tayer visited the EUREF Campus in Berlin, a dynamic centre for sustainable innovation, where start-ups, research institutions, and government bodies collaborate to tackle challenges related to renewable energy, green technology, and urban sustainability.
He also toured Schneider Electric’s exhibition, where he was introduced to the latest energy and automation solutions that contribute to a more sustainable future for the city and beyond. Al Tayer reviewed the company’s smart energy monitoring and lighting systems, energy storage solutions, and infrastructure for electric vehicle charging. His visit concluded with an inspection of the laboratory of the zeemobase (zero emission energy and mobility base), a multimodal station powered by renewable energy.
Al Tayer emphasised the importance of this visit in reviewing leading global experiences in urban and transport planning, and in addressing strategic challenges faced by major cities, such as population growth and enhancing sustainability and well-being.
“We aim to benefit from the experiences of leading global cities in urban planning and to leverage these insights to achieve the objectives of the Dubai Urban Plan 2040, positioning Dubai as the best city in the world to live in,” Al Tayer said. The plan seeks to provide sustainable and flexible mobility options that enhance movement within the city. By 2040, the plan aims for 55 per cent of Dubai’s residents to live within 800 metres or less from public transport stations. Additionally, it targets a 105 per cent increase in green and recreational spaces and aims to ensure that more than 80 per cent of residents can access essential services within 20 minutes of travel.