DOHA: No roads in the city will be closed for the UN Climate Change Conference - COP18/CMP8 - that begins here on November 26, except those immediately within the vicinity of the venue, the Qatar National Convention Center, organisers said yesterday.
Traffic in the city is expected to increase during the conference, that would bring in about 17,000 delegates from across the world.
Vehicles will need a special permit to drive to the venue and this permit will be given primarily to cars carrying ministerial level delegations and limited to one car per delegation.
All other accredited participants must use the free shuttle service, which will operate from 32 hubs set up around the city.
“The majority of participants will travel around the city on a fleet of buses, while the UN has permitted each delegation from the 194 nations attending COP18/CMP8 the use of only one car to travel to the conference,” said Alanoud Al Meghaisib, the head of the Accommodation, Transport and Volunteers department of the Organising Sub-Committee for COP18/CMP8.
In place of cars, organisers have put in place a system of free, efficient buses throughout the city that will transport official delegates, including the top level organisers, to and from the QNCC.
A map and details of the shuttle service can be viewed at www.cop18.qa/en-us/participantinfo/transport.aspx
Education City, located near the QNCC, will be closed on November 26, the opening day of the conference, to help ease congestion.
People have been advised to carefully plan their trips and try to avoid the busiest areas, especially in the peak hours - from 6.30am to 8am, 12.30pm to 2pm and from 4pm to 6pm.
Areas that could witness heavy traffic during the conference are QNCC, the Doha Exhibition Centre and the Corniche, the committee said.
The COP18/CMP8 team is working closely with Ashghal, Public Works Authority and Traffic Department to ensure that everything runs smoothly and to minimise traffic issues should they arise.
The organising committee has also advised people travelling around Doha to share cars as way to cut down traffic.
The Peninsula
