Eco-conscious commuters can get on their bike and on the bus under a new Abu Dhabi public transport trial aiming to support last-mile journeys.
The capital's Integrated Transport Centre has announced the launch of a public bus service that provides space for riders to bring their bikes on board.
The initiative is part of a drive to provide suitable alternatives to cars to reduce congestion and cut emissions.
People whose routes to work, home or leisure destinations are not fully served by the public transport network, for example, could hop on a bus before completing the final leg of the trip on two wheels.
The bike-friendly service will connect Al Reem Island and Hudayriat Island.
"ITC seeks to support and expand joint efforts to make physical activity and sustainable mobility a part of the daily routine to improve quality of life," said a statement on state news agency Wam.
The authority said bike racks on the service will ensure "the safe and easy stability of bikes without obstructing the internal movement of passengers".
"The new service promotes sustainable transportation and supports the ‘first and last mile.’ It also helps the economic model of cities by facilitating movement from home to work or sports and leisure destinations for all members of the community," the statement said.
Green scheme unveiled
Under the initial stage of the project, six buses will be deployed on the new route, which starts at Al Reem Island and passes Abu Dhabi landmarks such as the Central Bus Station, Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation, Zayed Educational Complex, Marsana Beach, Bab Al Nojoum Camp and 321 Sports.
The service is identified by a bike symbol beside the service number.
The no 73 bus service operates in both directions from 6am until midnight during the week, every 30 minutes during peak periods and every hour at off-peak times.
For more information, visit www.itc.gov.ae, use the ‘Darbi’ smart app, or call the Department of Municipalities and Transport’s Service Support Centre toll-free number 800 850.
Geared up for change
The move is in line with a nationwide switch to more environmentally-friendly transport.
In November, Abu Dhabi was named a “Bike City” by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI).
It joined the likes of Bergen in Norway, Copenhagen, the Danish capital, Glasgow in Scotland and the French capital of Paris.
The UCI is the world governing body for sport cycling and the categorisation recognised Abu Dhabi’s efforts to promote cycling, said Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, member of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Office, on accepting the prestigious accolade.
“Through visionary thinking, the emirate has developed state-of-the-art sport and community facilities that help enhance Abu Dhabi’s position as one of the world’s most liveable cities,” he said.
“This exciting new chapter for the emirate will see Abu Dhabi achieve even greater heights in its work to drive sustainability across all areas of life, to advance dynamic urban development and to create as many opportunities as possible for people to live healthy, active lives.”
Last month, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid inspected a new bicycle path at Dubai's Jumeirah Beach.
The Vice President and Ruler of Dubai took to two wheels to test the path, which is a new stretch of cycle track that runs 16 kilometres along Jumeirah Beach.
Once fully complete, it will connect the existing Jumeirah Street cycle track – parallel to the canal – with the cycle track alongside Dubai Internet City.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, in June announced plans to build the track.
The new path is part of a Dh400 million ($108m) strategy to make cycling in the emirate safer.
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What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
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Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 362hp
Torque: 530Nm
Price: Dh329,000 (base model 4.0L EXR Dh215,900)
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The money managers are also directing a higher portion of their funds to assets outside of their home countries. On average, foreign stocks now account for 49 per cent of respondents’ equity investments, 4 percentage points higher than five years ago, while foreign fixed-income exposure climbed 7 percentage points to 23 per cent. Funds in Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and Taiwan are among those seeking greater diversification in stocks and fixed income.
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T20 WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS
Qualifier A, Muscat
(All matches to be streamed live on icc.tv)
Fixtures
Friday, February 18: 10am Oman v Nepal, Canada v Philippines; 2pm Ireland v UAE, Germany v Bahrain
Saturday, February 19: 10am Oman v Canada, Nepal v Philippines; 2pm UAE v Germany, Ireland v Bahrain
Monday, February 21: 10am Ireland v Germany, UAE v Bahrain; 2pm Nepal v Canada, Oman v Philippines
Tuesday, February 22: 2pm Semi-finals
Thursday, February 24: 2pm Final
UAE squad:Ahmed Raza(captain), Muhammad Waseem, Chirag Suri, Vriitya Aravind, Rohan Mustafa, Kashif Daud, Zahoor Khan, Alishan Sharafu, Raja Akifullah, Karthik Meiyappan, Junaid Siddique, Basil Hameed, Zafar Farid, Mohammed Boota, Mohammed Usman, Rahul Bhatia
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A foster couple or family must:
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- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
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Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Rating: 4.5/5
