Abu Dhabi, UAE, 19 November: His Excellency Abdulla Rashed Al Otaiba, Chairman of the Department of Transport and Member of the UAE Executive Council has today officially inaugurated the Gulf Traffic Exhibition and Conference.
Taking place until 21 November at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, the three-day exhibition and two-day conference opens as the Gulf region forges ahead with US$121.3 billion worth of road and bridge projects already underway or in the planning phase.
A further US$149 billion worth of rail projects are also expected in the region over the next decade, many of which will ultimately converge into the eagerly awaited GCC Railway project – a 2,117km rail network that will link all six GCC states, boosting regional travel and trade ties.
Gulf Traffic organisers Informa Exhibitions has confirmed an exhibitor line-up of more than 100 of the world’s leading traffic, rail, and parking infrastructure suppliers looking to capitalise on the huge opportunities in the GCC region, as they display their latest innovations, solutions, products and services.
Richard Pavitt, Exhibition Director for Gulf Traffic, said: “The GCC region presents itself as a hugely exciting prospect for all those involved in transport planning and infrastructure development, and the investments that governments are injecting into roads and rail projects indicates how committed they are to implementing their ground transport infrastructure.
“Gulf Traffic sets the ideal platform for professionals from the roads, rail, parking and public transport sectors to take advantage of the massive opportunities that the region provides, and this year we are certainly expecting some of the most innovative transport solutions from leading suppliers across the world.”
Running alongside Gulf Traffic is the two-day Gulf Traffic Conference, addressing the challenges in road safety and the latest developments of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) in the GCC region.
The conference features 21 international and regional road safety and ITS experts, including the opening day keynote address delivered by Captain Ahmad Al Muheiri, Head of Traffic Safety, Abu Dhabi Traffic Police.
Pavitt added: “Per capita, Gulf countries have the highest road traffic fatality rates in the world, and we have developed the Gulf Traffic Conference in support of the UN’s Decade of Action for Road Safety, where both local and international experts will meet to discuss the current situation and present the very latest strategies and technology in road safety and congestion management.”
Other speakers on the opening day at the Gulf Traffic Conference include Dr. Atif Ghareeb, Traffic Safety Consultant, Abu Dhabi Traffic Police, and Pasi Kemppainen, Past President TISPOL, Traffic Police, Finland.
The conference concludes tomorrow (20 November) with a presentation from Engineer Majed Al Khathiri, Head of Traffic Services Section at the Abu Dhabi Municipality, who will provide updates of the ITS and SCADA systems being deployed along the emirate’s Salam Tunnel.
Now in its seventh edition, Gulf Traffic is endorsed by the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation (CIHT), and is supported by the Abu Dhabi Police, Saaed, the Law Respect Culture Bureau, and ITS Arab.
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