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This picture of an empty road leading to Linate Airport in Milan was taken in March. Traffic levels in the Italian city are now back to what they were before the pandemic. Piero Cruciatti / AFP
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Abu Dhabi traffic could be permanently reduced because of the pandemic with more companies offering flexible working hours. Pawan Singh / The National
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Road safety experts say flexible working hours will help reduce traffic congestion in Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National
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Rush hour traffic in Dubai could be permanently reduced due to the pandemic. Chris Whiteoak / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/JQXFOXFTIPUALIYMVDMRB3QHEE.jpg?smart=true&auth=80f9b36d5e7731b937d7647e1f5cffd6781dce89b02138f768e66caf43a89d1b&width=400&height=225)
Traffic congestion has risen in Berlin to pre-pandemic levels as more people avoid public transport and opt to travel by car. John MacDougall / AFP
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A woman crosses 42nd Street in New York in March during the early days of the pandemic. Traffic in the US city has now returned to the same levels as before the Covid-19 pandemic. Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images/AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/3GTLFS3SZ2DCNND3RMBIDXU2CY.jpg?smart=true&auth=3ef60b2fa4db79184e74a6c70675ac3e5d0973465195c4faee07ec009f0392e0&width=400&height=225)
This picture of an empty road leading to Linate Airport in Milan was taken in March. Traffic levels in the Italian city are now back to what they were before the pandemic. Piero Cruciatti / AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/6JD5FEEPG3ICGFRZVUABYJXUCM.jpg?smart=true&auth=5a49e140325718c755b519ef75c765e8261c8dff112ad0d2b981330a596d04ce&width=400&height=225)
Abu Dhabi traffic could be permanently reduced because of the pandemic with more companies offering flexible working hours. Pawan Singh / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/LUMXJ7VAGRMFC4WBIPJ7VFTZBE.jpg?smart=true&auth=f0ecfb2e584e02fe9a2aaa285f7504cdec12bf73554bef91ddc05d94c3a0214b&width=400&height=225)
Road safety experts say flexible working hours will help reduce traffic congestion in Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/NFWCTPH75Q574CCD4SDNCY7KJ4.jpg?smart=true&auth=70254c1c1f3c8e5bdac286dde6a8fb234aeb490864b85a381ee230b47a7dff69&width=400&height=225)
Rush hour traffic in Dubai could be permanently reduced due to the pandemic. Chris Whiteoak / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/JQXFOXFTIPUALIYMVDMRB3QHEE.jpg?smart=true&auth=80f9b36d5e7731b937d7647e1f5cffd6781dce89b02138f768e66caf43a89d1b&width=400&height=225)
Traffic congestion has risen in Berlin to pre-pandemic levels as more people avoid public transport and opt to travel by car. John MacDougall / AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/65SFTIOAXVSB6RRYTYEIAOMKQU.jpg?smart=true&auth=bdc4a75a5ae49a02bdd91c68c924663b61ba856c6ef04786a493ab7db58b54bd&width=400&height=225)
A woman crosses 42nd Street in New York in March during the early days of the pandemic. Traffic in the US city has now returned to the same levels as before the Covid-19 pandemic. Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images/AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/3GTLFS3SZ2DCNND3RMBIDXU2CY.jpg?smart=true&auth=3ef60b2fa4db79184e74a6c70675ac3e5d0973465195c4faee07ec009f0392e0&width=400&height=225)
This picture of an empty road leading to Linate Airport in Milan was taken in March. Traffic levels in the Italian city are now back to what they were before the pandemic. Piero Cruciatti / AFP
Flexible working hours spell end of rush-hour traffic for Dubai and Abu Dhabi
GPS company TomTom says working from home and flexible schooling have led to a reduction in congestion
![Patrick Ryan](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Fthenational%2Fb4432acf-0cbd-43ef-bbf7-b903a0cba2bf.png?smart=true&auth=20b2c1ccbfa88518daf6fca336b04db526eccdfdd1ed279fd34cb8af25265a9e&width=70&height=70)
Patrick Ryan
10 November, 2020
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