Riyadh and Jeddah among best-performing cities on Global Urban Mobility Readiness Index
Riyadh: Riyadh and Jeddah are among the best cities in the world in terms of urban mobility readiness, according to the latest edition of the annual study of 60 cities.
The rankings, compiled by the Oliver Wyman Forum and the University of California, Berkeley Institute for Transportation Studies, saw Riyadh move up five places, from 54 in 2021 to 49 in 2022, and Jeddah from 58 to 51.
The report concludes that large-scale investment and innovation on a large scale means that the condition of cities will continue to improve.
Andre Martins, Partner and Head of India, Middle East and Africa Transport Services and Operations at Oliver Whyman Forum, said: “Due to the resulting growth in both population and tourist numbers, mobility solutions and urban transport infrastructure form an important part of Vision 2030 .
“Mobility is a complex and fast-moving area – and in cities such as Riyadh and Jeddah, the solutions need to be manifold: from smart use of micro-mobility solutions to rapid deployment of public transport systems.”
He added: “Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s giga projects have a unique level of flexibility from an infrastructure and design perspective, meaning they can serve as an entry point for innovation in the kingdom as well as global pioneers of urban mobility solutions.” can act as.”
The index highlights that Riyadh’s nearly complete mass transportation system, which combines a bus network with six lines of automated metro, will play a key role in the future of the city’s mobility.
The findings showed that the city’s current car-centric approach is undermined by good road infrastructure, strong adoption of ride sharing and new government investment in connected autonomous vehicle technologies.
Saudi Arabia also recently announced its first EV manufacturing plant – which will help it achieve its stated goal of 30 percent of all cars within Riyadh being EVs by 2030.
Meanwhile, Jeddah’s strengths include its high-quality road infrastructure and strong regional connectivity. Another strength stems from the seaside city’s proximity to Mecca and Medina, while its international airport’s links to the holy cities by high-speed rail make it an important and connected global hub.
The city also has plans to develop an extensive public transportation system, including a metro that is scheduled to open in 2030.
The report notes that a preference for cars in the Middle East contributes to the sector’s low use of non-motorized transit, although the generally high penetration of shared mobility services, such as car-sharing, can reduce congestion levels. helps to do.
The index ranks 57 quantitative and qualitative key performance indicators that measure social impact, infrastructure, market attractiveness, system efficiency and innovation.
Other measures in the composite index include electric vehicle charging station network investments and incentives, number of car-free zones, autonomous vehicle adoption, and public transportation ridership and affordability.