中东如何应对交通危机

Proven Solutions for Growing Cities André MartinsLorenzo TrittoniAlessandro TricamoÁngel Mayoral 100Upto hours a year: time major-cityresidents lose totraffic Traffic congestion is one of the most pressing challenges of urban life. It drains time, reducesproductivity, and negatively impacts the well-being of millions of city dwellersworldwide. The economic burden of congestion is staggering. Commuters in major cities waste as muchas 100 hours a year stuck in traffic jams, and the annual cost to the global economy exceedsUS$500billion. As urban populations grow and more vehicles crowd city roads, congestion is gettingworse. It’s increasing driver frustration, compounding accident risk, and pushing upurbanpollution. Governments are responding with a mix of planning and policy reforms. Cities areredesigning urban spaces to prioritize pedestrians and expanding the capacity of buses,trams, and metros. Ride-hailing, car-sharing, and micromobility options are gaining traction.Infrastructure policies are being revised to reduce private car use and shift travel behaviorto complement public transport investments through the introduction of congestioncharges, urban tolls, and higher parking fees. The goal of these measures is to reducetraffic volumes in cities and encourage alternatives, such as walking, cycling, and publictransportation, thereby promoting more sustainabletransportation. Cities like London have shown that effective congestion management schemes canmitigate the effects of overloaded urban traffic networks. Since launching its congestioncharge scheme in 2003, traffic volumes have decreased, emissions have declined, andpublic transport use has increased. Other global cities report similar gains. Well-designedcongestion management schemes deliver real, measurableimprovements. Oliver Wyman has developed a proprietary framework to help cities design and implementeffective congestion strategies. Our approach emphasizes comprehensive planning,stakeholder alignment, rigorous policy analysis, and sustained investment in infrastructure.It strives to raise urban living standards through smarter traffic management schemes thatalleviate congested traffic networks that impact the livability of many citiestoday. SECTION ONE THE $500 BILLION CHALLENGE:UNDERSTANDING TRAFFIC CONGESTION’SGLOBAL ECONOMIC IMPACT Traffic congestion occurs when the number of vehicles traveling on a road exceeds thecapacity for which it was designed,1causing bottlenecks and delays. In technical terms,congestion is measured using the road’s “level of service” — a scale from A(free-flowing)to F (severe congestion). Policymakers and planners typically aim to keep most roadsoperating within acceptable congestion thresholds, generally levels of service A toD. Congestion erodes the quality of life of city inhabitants, impairs productivity, and weakenslocal economies. The global cost of traffic congestion is estimated to exceed US$500 billionper year.2Residents of some major cities lose as much as 100 hours a year stuck in traffic.3That is the equivalent of more than two full weeks ofwork. Time wasted in traffic increases driver frustration, degrades driving behavior, andcompromises road safety. Fuel waste, vehicle wear, and higher emissions compoundthe cost. Unnecessary transport expenses weaken economic competitiveness andhinderproductivity. CONGESTION IN THE MIDDLE EAST Congestion affects every major city in the Middle East. According to the 2024 INRIX andTomTom Traffic indexes, all capital cities in the region experience high levels of congestion.4 Even in cities not formally ranked, field evidence shows congestion is widespread. Key routesin Baghdad and Amman, for instance, often operate below standard service levels duringpeak hours. Traffic jams feature prominently in local news reports and on socialmedia. Exhibit 4: Level of service analysis ofAmman’s main network Exhibit 3: Level of service analysis ofBaghdad’s main network WHY CONGESTION IS HERE TO STAY Governments in the Middle East are investing heavily in public transport to ease pressure oncityroads. In Saudi Arabia, Riyadh’s new metro line carried more than 100 million passengers in its firstnine months.5The Iraqi Government also plans to launch a metro rail service in the country’scapital, Baghdad. With seven lines and 64 stations, it will add approximately 150 km to thecountry’s rail network at a cost of around US$18 billion.6In the UAE’s capital, Abu Dhabi,the government is expanding the city’s public bus network and improving its connectivity.7Dubai’s Road Transport Authority also continues to upgrade the city’s road infrastructure aswell as development of light rail transit systems together with expansions of the existing busnetwork and other mobility solutions.8 Beyond capital investment, a range of soft measures — including remote work pilots,staggered work and school hours, and incentives to encourage school proximity — havebeen deployed, with mixedresul