ABU DHABI // The Department of Transport has unveiled a plan to make the emirate safer and encourage residents to walk or cycle by doubling the number of dedicated paths by 2020.
The Walking and Cycling Master Plan, released Tuesday, would ensure residents could travel in a healthier way than driving.
“We know how beneficial walking and cycling are, not only to the health and well-being of the public but also to the environment as they create little to no emissions,” said Abdullah Al Mehairbi, the head of public transport planning.
“The public will be provided with shaded walkways, safe crossing points, and walking and cycling routes and facilities, especially in the commercial and central areas of Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, and Al Gharbia.”
But a change in attitudes towards exercise and outdoor activities is essential for Abu Dhabi to become more pedestrian and bike-friendly.
Encouraging people to think about alternatives to cars from a young age was the most important aspect of the plan, said Saeed Al Hameli, the department’s executive director for surface transport.
“Without a doubt the infrastructure for encouraging walking and biking is important but they must be utilised and awareness is crucial in promoting these activities,” Mr Al Hameli said. “This is why we must focus on the young and educate them on how to be active.”
The department says a third of all inner-city journeys cover less than 3 kilometres, and a sixth under 1km – just a short walk or cycle.
It was assisted in the master plan by Abu Dhabi Police, the municipality, Urban Planning Council and Health Authority.
Mr Al Mehairbi admitted there were many improvements needed in infrastructure.
They include a lack of bicycle racks, high-speed sliproads for cars, narrow medians, motorways with poor pedestrian crossings, and few provisions for the disabled.
Officials say these challenges will be overcome and plan to develop projects similar to those on Abu Dhabi’s Corniche and the Bainunah waterfront in Al Bateen.
These will be complemented by elevated crossings for pedestrians and cyclists, and more walking and bike paths by 2020.
Although the first stages of the plan will focus on the central business district in the north of Abu Dhabi Island, it will also take in residential areas such as Khalifa City, Shahama and Baniyas.
Suhaib Al Marzouqi, a senior geographic information systems specialist at the department, said extensive studies had been done to ensure the needs of the public were considered at every step of the process.
“We did studies, abroad and here, analysing other cities transportation networks, as well as asking those across the emirate what they needed and wanted in terms of walking and cycling,” Mr Al Marzouqi said.
“We have since approached hotels and shopping malls asking them to encourage cycling and have provided them with bicycles, bicycle parking and bicycle maps to use.”
He said the department held bicycle days in schools to show students how to maintain their bikes and use them safely around the city.
tsubaihi@thenational.ae
Essentials
The flights: You can fly from the UAE to Iceland with one stop in Europe with a variety of airlines. Return flights with Emirates from Dubai to Stockholm, then Icelandair to Reykjavik, cost from Dh4,153 return. The whole trip takes 11 hours. British Airways flies from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Reykjavik, via London, with return flights taking 12 hours and costing from Dh2,490 return, including taxes.
The activities: A half-day Silfra snorkelling trip costs 14,990 Icelandic kronur (Dh544) with Dive.is. Inside the Volcano also takes half a day and costs 42,000 kronur (Dh1,524). The Jokulsarlon small-boat cruise lasts about an hour and costs 9,800 kronur (Dh356). Into the Glacier costs 19,500 kronur (Dh708). It lasts three to four hours.
The tours: It’s often better to book a tailor-made trip through a specialist operator. UK-based Discover the World offers seven nights, self-driving, across the island from £892 (Dh4,505) per person. This includes three nights’ accommodation at Hotel Husafell near Into the Glacier, two nights at Hotel Ranga and two nights at the Icelandair Hotel Klaustur. It includes car rental, plus an iPad with itinerary and tourist information pre-loaded onto it, while activities can be booked as optional extras. More information inspiredbyiceland.com
Company%20Profile
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Marathon results
Men:
1. Titus Ekiru(KEN) 2:06:13
2. Alphonce Simbu(TAN) 2:07:50
3. Reuben Kipyego(KEN) 2:08:25
4. Abel Kirui(KEN) 2:08:46
5. Felix Kemutai(KEN) 2:10:48
Women:
1. Judith Korir(KEN) 2:22:30
2. Eunice Chumba(BHR) 2:26:01
3. Immaculate Chemutai(UGA) 2:28:30
4. Abebech Bekele(ETH) 2:29:43
5. Aleksandra Morozova(RUS) 2:33:01
The Old Slave and the Mastiff
Patrick Chamoiseau
Translated from the French and Creole by Linda Coverdale
MATCH INFO
Quarter-finals
Saturday (all times UAE)
England v Australia, 11.15am
New Zealand v Ireland, 2.15pm
Sunday
Wales v France, 11.15am
Japan v South Africa, 2.15pm
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
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Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
How tumultuous protests grew
- A fuel tax protest by French drivers appealed to wider anti-government sentiment
- Unlike previous French demonstrations there was no trade union or organised movement involved
- Demonstrators responded to online petitions and flooded squares to block traffic
- At its height there were almost 300,000 on the streets in support
- Named after the high visibility jackets that drivers must keep in cars
- Clashes soon turned violent as thousands fought with police at cordons
- An estimated two dozen people lost eyes and many others were admitted to hospital
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: 77.4kW all-wheel-drive dual motor
Power: 320bhp
Torque: 605Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh219,000
On sale: Now
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
'Outclassed in Kuwait'
Taleb Alrefai,
HBKU Press
Key changes
Commission caps
For life insurance products with a savings component, Peter Hodgins of Clyde & Co said different caps apply to the saving and protection elements:
• For the saving component, a cap of 4.5 per cent of the annualised premium per year (which may not exceed 90 per cent of the annualised premium over the policy term).
• On the protection component, there is a cap of 10 per cent of the annualised premium per year (which may not exceed 160 per cent of the annualised premium over the policy term).
• Indemnity commission, the amount of commission that can be advanced to a product salesperson, can be 50 per cent of the annualised premium for the first year or 50 per cent of the total commissions on the policy calculated.
• The remaining commission after deduction of the indemnity commission is paid equally over the premium payment term.
• For pure protection products, which only offer a life insurance component, the maximum commission will be 10 per cent of the annualised premium multiplied by the length of the policy in years.
Disclosure
Customers must now be provided with a full illustration of the product they are buying to ensure they understand the potential returns on savings products as well as the effects of any charges. There is also a “free-look” period of 30 days, where insurers must provide a full refund if the buyer wishes to cancel the policy.
“The illustration should provide for at least two scenarios to illustrate the performance of the product,” said Mr Hodgins. “All illustrations are required to be signed by the customer.”
Another illustration must outline surrender charges to ensure they understand the costs of exiting a fixed-term product early.
Illustrations must also be kept updatedand insurers must provide information on the top five investment funds available annually, including at least five years' performance data.
“This may be segregated based on the risk appetite of the customer (in which case, the top five funds for each segment must be provided),” said Mr Hodgins.
Product providers must also disclose the ratio of protection benefit to savings benefits. If a protection benefit ratio is less than 10 per cent "the product must carry a warning stating that it has limited or no protection benefit" Mr Hodgins added.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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Malcolm & Marie
Directed by: Sam Levinson
Starring: John David Washington and Zendaya
Three stars
The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now