Marking an important stage of HVT’s Inclusive Interchanges project, the Lagos and Metropolitan Transport Authority (LAMATA) and Environmental consultants SLR recently undertook a three-day programme of site visits, stakeholder interviews and a workshop. Attendees included representatives from the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly who had travelled from Ghana to join the event.
The activities and dialogue spurred discussions and debate on the approaches that could be taken to realise inclusive interchanges in the context of sub-Saharan Africa.
The first day of the programme involved site visits to the case study interchanges of Marina and Mile 2, during which project partners appraised the existing site context and infrastructure brought forward through the development of the Blue Line railway stations, as well as the opportunities and challenges presented by the development of multi-modal transport interchanges in these locations.
Alongside conducting meetings with transport operators and market traders operating at these sites, project participants had the chance to utilise the brand new Blue Line rail service. These more detailed site visits were supplemented, on day two, by a tour of the bus stations developed by LAMATA in Ojota and Yaba, as well as the bus and rail interchange currently taking shape at Ikeja.
During day three, LAMATA welcomed more than 30 participants to a workshop at their offices in Lagos, which enabled stakeholders to present their perspectives on the multiple aspects of interchange design. Arranged in sessions based on the Inclusive Interchanges design brief structure, attendees enjoyed inspiring presentations on subjects including:
- the role of the informal public transport sector;
- improving conditions for walking and cycling;
- the importance of planning for women’s safety (based on the HVT EMPOWER project);
- ensuring accessibility for people with disabilities;
- the potential for formal and informal retail;
- the role of art at interchanges in elevating transport to travel;
- and the opportunities for creating green and resilient city infrastructure.
Representatives from Integrated Transport Planning (ITP) and the Institute for Transport Development Policy (ITDP) Africa gave an online presentation on the HVT update to Road Note 21 and TOD (Transit Oriented Development) Standard.
The inclusive Interchanges project is funded through HVT’s Transport-Technology Research and Innovation for International Development (T-TRIID) programme.