Planning of National Transport Infrastructure
In the Islamic Countries
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3.6.8. Conclusions
Based on the above analyses of NTI planning of Oman, the following conclusions can be drawn
for each planning aspect.
 Political and legislation: The Omani transport sector has grown rapidly over the last 50
years, as has its population. The national transport plan is a list of infrastructure projects
that has been selected by the Supreme Council for Planning and approved by Decree.
Despite the growing complexity of the transport sector, there is no transport policy, given
the general understanding of the term.
Laws empowering the Supreme Council for Planning are robust and effective.
 Institutional and organizational: The SCP prepare plans, obtains funding regulates
compliance and provides oversight. Highly effective central planning.
 Technical: Public transport planning is a local government matter, which has assumed
higher importance nationally owing to the high numbers of non-Omani and non-car owning
public whose mobility had been limited. Oman is looking outwards once again and aims to
become a major logistics hub. As such, the role of port and railways is increasing and the
need for more holistic and integrated planning is increasingly appreciated.
 Procedural and financing: Some procedures need strengthening such as public
participation and consultation
 Content of NTI Plan: The plan is output and not outcome based. Km of road and railway
network built, which are the outputs, and not the proportion of traffic at level of service,
level of mobility and accessibility, which are the outcomes. It is very a good transport
infrastructure plan.
 Data collection: Collection of transport demand data and the application of transport
modelling is used to help further develop the transport system and in a more integrated
way with land use.
 Monitoring and evaluation: The need for monitoring and evaluation is supported, though
the former is a stringent requirement the latter has to evolve further. Evidence suggests
that Oman seeks to improve the quality of its transport planning.
The response to the planning questionnaire from Oman reveals that although data collection
and analysis is excellent, the content of the infrastructure plan is poor. This might be because
the plan is almost totally roads orientated.