Latest news with #congestion
The National
19 hours ago
- Automotive
- The National
Road pricing, road building, air taxis or metros – what will solve UAE congestion?
A new survey has confirmed what many motorists in the UAE know all too well – traffic congestion is a major headache for anyone travelling by road. The research, based on canvassing 1,021 people in the country, found 86 per cent of motorists 'typically experience traffic congestion '. Moreover, the problem may be intensifying, because four fifths of respondents in the RoadSafety UAE and Al Wathba Insurance study said they have noticed heavier traffic congestion year-on-year. It comes amid a population surge in the Emirates, with Abu Dhabi now being home to 4 million people and Dubai closing in on the landmark figure. Motorists cited several factors as causing the traffic jams, including too many vehicles on the roads, offices and schools all starting at about the same time, heavy dependence on private cars and poor driving that causes accidents. Respondents also gave their views on what could solve the traffic woes, with the most popular ideas being encouraging working from home, improving metro and train services, expanding the road network and improving bus services. Encouraging people to leave their car at home and take public transport is not easy, but a 'carrot and stick' approach has been shown to work elsewhere. 'The only way people will actually leave their cars is if you penalise them – you have congestion charging, or regulated parking, or charge for parking,' said Marcus Enoch, professor in transport strategy at Loughborough University in the UK and author of Roads not yet travelled: Transport futures for 2050. 'You need a stick before most people will shift from using their car. Applying sticks – charges, taxes – is unpopular and quite challenging politically," Prof Enoch said. 'Typically at the same time as trying to restrict car use, most places tend to give carrots as well. Definitely improving public transport is the carrot. The argument is you cannot just penalise people, you have to give them an alternative to get where they need to go to.' New methods Dubai introduced its road toll system, Salik, almost exactly 18 years ago, and the system has since been extended and modified, notably through this year's introduction of dynamic pricing, with levies increasing at peak times. Dynamic pricing has proved highly effective at managing traffic in other parts of the world, such as Singapore, where the Electronic Road Pricing scheme imposes, the authorities say, 'toll charges … according to time and congestion levels'. Abu Dhabi's Darb road toll system, which was introduced four and a half years ago, charges at peak hours in the morning and early evening. Many other measures could lessen the UAE's traffic woes. Surveys last year by Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and the Dubai Government Human Resources Department found flexible working hours and more working from home could cut peak-hour traffic by as much as 30 per cent. Travelling by air rather than on land may also help. The UAE is mapping air corridors for flying taxis and cargo drones, and one company, Joby Aviation, has been selected to supply and operate air taxis from Dubai International Airport to places such as Palm Jumeirah. Road improvements can deal with bottlenecks. Last month the RTA announced 40 sites in Dubai would benefit from such schemes, many to improve access or connectivity. However, while it may seem the obvious solution, simply building more roads – a favourite solution in the recent survey – typically does not reduce traffic congestion in the long-term, but instead provides only temporary relief. When more roads are built, the amount of traffic grows, known as induced demand. Urban problems 'Continuously building or expanding the roads is not the answer,' said Dr Apostolos Kyriazis, associate professor of architecture at Abu Dhabi University, who researches urban planning. "Road engineers know that. The more roads you build, the more traffic you will get." Dr Kyriazis said there have been numerous positive measures to reduce dependence on road vehicles in the UAE, such as the building in Abu Dhabi of a network of bicycle tracks. He would like to see such efforts increased so that cycling becomes 'a lifestyle'. He supports wider measures to promote 'soft mobility', such as walking and cycling. 'You need to protect people from the heat, so you need plenty of shading. You need bicycle tracks, safe passageway through highways, which is not the case in Abu Dhabi,' he said. Public transport can connect points within a city but this needs to be combined with ways of enabling people to travel to their final destination. He praised efforts in Dubai and Doha with regard to this. 'The metro lines are getting extended big time in order to cover areas not covered before,' he said. 'They're [also] trying to cover what we know as the last mile' from your metro station.' A year ago, Dubai authorities announced that the number of Dubai Metro stations would increase from 55 (with 11 tram stops) to 96 by 2030, with the number rising to 140 a decade after that. A central aim is to transform Dubai into a 20-minute city, meaning within that timeframe someone can meet their daily travel needs without using a car. Global issues Many cities around the world are seen as examples where good quality public transport has made life easier for residents. Prof Enoch cited the bus rapid transit system in Curitba in Brazil. With distinctive tube-like stations, it has been credited in reports as having 'sparked a transport revolution'. 'They built a busway system and then they built the city around the busway system,' he said. The bus routes are like the spokes of a wheel radiating out from the city, Prof Enoch said, and development is concentrated near them. 'It's quite clever how they link the land use to the available transport capacity" he said. "When you look at the map or a photo from above, you see high buildings and that's where the bus routes are." City development can reduce the need for cars, with high-density development more suited than low-density areas to public transport systems, for example. 'An effective response to congestion is not to expand road infrastructure, but to reduce car dependency,' said Dr Alexandra Gomes, a research fellow at the London School of Economics who has analysed transport systems in cities including Abu Dhabi and Kuwait City. 'This can be achieved by creating mixed-use developments and ensuring the proximity of shops and services that are accessible by walking and cycling, as well as by increasing urban densities that support the development of mass transit systems competitive with car travel times.'
BBC News
3 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
New Norwich Western Link plans being proposed after bat concerns
Plans to build a new road to ease congestion near Norwich could be back on the table after initially being withdrawn because of concerns about its impact on 3.9-mile (6.2-km) Norwich Western Link, connecting the Northern Distributor Road (NDR) to the A47, had been in the works for years before being scrapped in County Council admitted a dual carriageway or viaduct over the River Wensum was unlikely due to the eco-restrictions, but said a single carriageway could be an Plant, a Conservative cabinet member, said they hoped to work closely with Natural England to mitigate the risk of previous issues with protected bats. Norfolk County Council had been seeking approval from the government to build the £274m Norwich Western Link, but last year the project's future was thrown into doubt after Natural England changed rules protecting rare Barbastelle bats that lived on the route of the proposed Marshall, Natural England's deputy director for Norfolk and Suffolk, said his organisation was "clear that development and nature can go hand in hand".But he said Barbastelle bats were "incredibly rare" and that the proposed route "would destroy one of the largest remaining populations in the UK".The county council is now considering whether a single carriageway option might solve congestion issues, the Local Democracy Reporting Service is also considering making minor improvements to the existing road network, public transport and improvements for walking and cycling and making changes to the existing B-road between Wood Lane and Lenwade. Plant, the cabinet member for transport, said the council believed a new road was still the best solution to improve issues in villages west of Norwich."We have been, and are continuing to, implement some smaller-scale measures which may provide some relief to affected communities."However, a larger-scale intervention is still needed through our Norwich Western Link project in order to improve the situation significantly."The council estimated it would cost £1.66m to appraise the various options, which would include a public consultation before being presented to cabinet members next Department for Transport had agreed to contribute £960,000 toward the development costs. Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
CBC
5 days ago
- General
- CBC
Cars are now allowed on part of King Street. Will it help ease congestion?
It's been more than three weeks since the intersection of King Street E. and Church Street was shut to all vehicle traffic, causing increased congestion in the area. CBC's Lane Harrison explains why city councillors think they've come up with a solution.
Forbes
6 days ago
- Health
- Forbes
Sonu Is Turning Sound Therapy Into The Next Wave Of Wearable Wellness
The Sons Band uses personalized sound waves to relieve congestion. Sonu There's nothing pretty about allergies, and the Sonu wearable aims to fix that. Puffy eyes. A red, runny nose. Scratchy throat. And that's nothing compared to the sinus pressure, brain fog, and relentless congestion that turns everyday tasks into uphill climbs. For many, over-the-counter meds only pile on side effects: drowsiness, rebound symptoms, or risky drug interactions. Suddenly, the cure can feel as miserable as the cause. But what if relief came from something far simpler? Like sound? The SONU Band, a headband-style device from medical tech startup SoundHealth uses personalized sound wave stimulation to clear nasal congestion in minutes. First cleared for adults, it recently received FDA de novo approval for kids as young as 12, positioning it as a lifestyle-friendly alternative to pills, sprays, and steroids. 'Nasal congestion and allergies don't have to be life-altering,' said SoundHealth Founder and CEO Dr. Paramesh Gopi. 'We're thrilled to now be able to offer relief to children … and continue working to help people breathe better.' Sonu: The Wearable That Clears Sinuses, Monitors Breathing, and Forecasts Allergies At the core of Sonu's design is a process called Acoustic Resonance Therapy (ART), which uses sound waves to stimulate the sinuses at their natural, or resonant , frequency. Sonu's steroid-free approach to allergy relief is a game changer for children and their parents. Sonu by Soundhealth Consider a wine glass. When tapped, it makes a specific sound. That pitch is its resonant frequency. If you play that same pitch loudly nearby, the glass may start to vibrate or even shatter because the sound waves are matching its natural frequency and transferring energy efficiently. The Sonu Band applies this principle to a person's sinuses, but instead of shattered glass, the user is left with a clear nasal passage. Here's how it works: After a quick facial scan in the companion app, AI models the user's unique sinus anatomy to calculate their resonant frequencies. The device, worn across the forehead, then delivers targeted acoustic vibrations that work with the body, not against it. After a facial scan in the companion app, AI models the user's unique sinus anatomy and calculates its resonant frequencies. The band, worn across the forehead, then delivers targeted acoustic vibrations via bone conduction, gently vibrating the sinus cavities to loosen mucus, reduce swelling, and clear congestion – no meds required. The device pairs with a smartphone app powering additional features, such as a predictor of potential flare-ups based on live environmental factors. SONUCheck uses a short voice recording to measure nasal patency (how open the user's airways are) based on vocal biomarkers tied to airflow. Over time, both tools adapt to the user, offering real-time symptom tracking. Sonu 'Nasal breathing is core to energy, focus, sleep, and even facial aesthetics,' explains Dr. Gopi. ' Sonu empowers people to take control of that with just a few minutes a day.' Over time, both tools adapt to the user, offering a low-effort, personalized view of what's driving congestion and how to stay ahead of it – especially valuable for people with chronic nasal issues, as well as athletes, vocalists, or anyone who relies on clear nasal breathing for performance. Meet the doctors behind Soundhealth and Sonu SoundHealth emerged from Dr. Gopi's own struggle with chronic allergies – and a question shared by more than 80 million Americans: Why haven't we fixed this yet? A veteran engineer and serial tech founder, Gopi spent years rotating through antihistamines and steroid sprays, frustrated by diminishing returns and mounting side effects. He started looking for drug-free solutions. But outside of nasal flushes, acupuncture, and anti-inflammatory diets, there were few options and almost no recent innovation. Dr. Gopi and cofounders, Stanford Physicians Peter Hwang and Bryant Lin, are excited to bring the world's first FDA De Novo approved AI wearable for allergy relief to market. Sonu Gopi bootstrapped SoundHealth through its early development before partnering with Stanford physicians Dr. Peter H. Hwang and Dr. Bryant T. Lin. Dr. Hwang, an internationally recognized rhinologist and sinus surgeon, serves as Stanford's Vice Chair of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery. Dr. Lin, a clinician, researcher, and founder of rhinitis treatment leader Arrinex, brings deep experience at the intersection of medicine and innovation. Together, the team spent four years developing the first FDA-cleared wearable for allergic rhinitis – powered not by pharmaceuticals, but by physics. Because ART wasn't yet recognized as a medical therapy, and no similar consumer device existed, the SoundHealth team had to validate both the science and the product. 'When we first submitted our early single-arm clinical trial results to the FDA, they pushed back quite heavily,' said Gopi. 'They had no framework to judge our technology.' So they built one. The company assembled a full stack, cross-disciplinary R&D team spanning acoustic physics, sinus anatomy, and AI. They conducted cadaver and live-subject CT studies to confirm that the app's modeling of sinus structures could match medical-grade imaging. According to Gopi, their FDA submission followed 'a pharma-grade process,' including an active sham control, multiple geographic trial sites, and an ethnographically balanced patient pool to account for facial structure diversity. The company's data was then benchmarked against 14 leading allergy medications across 54 placebo-controlled studies with over 14,000 participants. The result? Sonu matched or outperformed conventional treatments, with no reported side effects. Interest has followed. SoundHealth has raised $7 million in seed funding, according to BusinessWire . Independent reviews have been promising, too: A Massachusetts General Hospital study found ART to be 'safe and effective' for nasal congestion, and a pilot published in the National Library of Medicine reported 'significant improvement' in acute symptoms compared to placebo. Since its commercial debut, SoundHealth says they've sold over 5,000 bands and is expanding its reach across both clinical and consumer settings. In addition to medspas and hospitals, adoption has grown in VA clinics, where doctors are using it to help combat veterans manage chronic congestion without triggering medication conflicts. 'Many of these patients are on medications for heart conditions or mental health,' said Gopi. 'Sonu gives them a safe, drug-free alternative.' And as concerns rise around the long-term use of allergy drugs – particularly among children, older adults, and those with complex health profiles – SoundHealth is gaining traction as a credible, tech-forward alternative. At $299, the device is FSA/HSA eligible and supports up to four personalized user profiles. With clinical validation, regulatory clearance, and early adoption in both hospitals and wellness programs, the Sonu Band is redefining what a modern respiratory solution can look like: non-invasive, personalized, and rooted in real science. 'We're not just treating congestion,' said Dr. Gopi. 'We're building a new standard for respiratory care.'
CTV News
6 days ago
- Politics
- CTV News
Toronto city councillors discuss streetcar service disruption due to construction
Video City councillors Josh Matlow and Dianne Saxe speak with CP24 about congestion building up on Adelaide St. without the streetcar.
