A new beach, only for women, has been announced in Sharjah under the orders of the emirate’s ruler Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi. The 500-meter beach is located in the Lulu’iya area of ​​Khorfakkan and will offer complete privacy for women. The beach will also have other amenities like a cafe, a medical clinic, and a prayer room. 

Other than this beach, Sharjah has the Sharjah Ladies Club beach and in 2023, Sheikh Dr Sultan announced the development of women’s only beaches in Kalba and at Al Hamariya Beach.  In May this year, the Crown Prince of Dubai Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed launched the Dubai Quality of Life Strategy 2033, which includes designating new beaches for only women.

In further orders, the Sharjah Ruler directed the construction of a pedestrian bridge linking Al Bardi 6 and Al Batha areas in Khorfakkan city.

Speaking on the Sharjah’s Direct Line radio programme, Yousef Khamis Al Othmani, Chairman of RTA Sharjah said that the new bridge will help the movement of residents between the two areas.

He also said the RTA will implement modifications to the internal roads in the Hayawa area.

Dubai Municipality has completed the development of the UAE’s longest mountain trails, which features 21 cycling routes spanning 53 kilometres, 17 walking trails across 33 kilometres, 9 wooden bridges and 14 rest stops and service facilities.

The Hatta Mountain Trails are one of various projects being implemented by Dubai Municipality to establish Hatta as a leading tourist destination in the region.

The trails are divided into four colour-coded levels of difficulty: Green – with four tracks for cycling and four for walking; Blue – with six tracks for cycling and three for walking; Red – with eight routes for cycling and six for walking; and finally, Black – with three trails for cycling and four for walking.

During the project’s first phase, Dubai Municipality implemented a comprehensive development plan in a record time of 10 months. This involved the expansion and maintenance of existing hiking and mountain bike trails and stabilising the soil in areas to improve the experience for visitors using the trails.

Comprehensive maintenance was also carried out on all existing bridges, with damaged ones replaced.

The second phase included constructing rest stops and service facilities along trails and other locations and installing 176 signposts and 650 directional signs to help cyclists enjoy a safe and distinctive experience on the Hatta Mountain Trails.

The Hatta Mountain Trails pass through a variety of different terrains and landscapes, including rocky paths, mountainous areas, rugged peaks and valleys, offering panoramic views and the opportunity for outdoor enthusiasts of all abilities to enjoy Hatta’s unique natural beauty.

The Dubai Metro was the top choice of public transport in the emirate, accounting for 37 per cent of all commuters in the first half of 2024. Overall public transport ridership clocked 361.2 million in the first six months of the year — a 6 per cent increase over the same period in 2023. BurJuman and Union stations saw the highest number of passengers, with BurJuman recording 7.8 million users and Union station 6.3 million users.

The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) counts Metro, Tram, public buses, marine transport, taxis, e-hail vehicles, smart rental vehicles, and on-demand buses while computing public transport ridership numbers. BurJuman and Union stations saw the highest number of passengers, with BurJuman recording 7.8 million users and Union station 6.3 million users.

Announcing these figures on Sunday, theDubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) said the number of users of public transport and shared mobility means in Dubai, including Metro, Tram, public buses, marine transport, taxis, e-hail vehicles, smart rental vehicles, and on-demand buses—reached saw a six per cent increase compared to around 340.5 million users in the first half of 2023. The daily average number of riders in the first half of this year reached 1.98 million, compared to 1.88 million in the same period in 2023.

His excellency Mattar Al Tayer, director general, chairman of the board of executive directors of the RTA said the authority plans to improve public transport even further. He said: “RTA’s strategic and operational plans are based on achieving multi-modal integration of all public transport and shared mobility means to ensure smooth mobility across Dubai. This included developing and expanding road networks and all elements of public transport — metro, tram, buses, marine transport, first and last-mile solutions, and shared mobility— along with an enhanced and integrated pedestrian and cycling infrastructure. 

“The RTA also focuses on traffic management systems to maximise the efficiency of roads and public transport and implements policies to encourage the public to reduce reliance on private vehicles and increase the use of public and shared transport,” the RTA chief added.