Over 100 academics, practitioners and researchers came together to present and discuss the latest HVT research into inclusive and climate resilient transport infrastructures in Africa at a one-day pre-conference to the African Transport Research Conference. The event highlighted HVT’s work across the continent, including key areas such as the role of data, developing climate resilient solutions for African cities, inclusive transport planning, and innovations for future change.
Entitled Powering Change: Exploring the latest research for developing infrastructures in Africa that are resilient, greener and inclusive, the event involved presentations, research briefings and panel discussions, as well as question and answer sessions with transport experts and deep dives into examples of research being used in African cities.
Through sharing insights and best practices, HVT aims to facilitate the development of innovative and effective transport infrastructures that promote economic growth while mitigating environmental impacts, crucial factors in addressing the continent’s evolving needs.
“It was mind-blowing to see how many things can be done through research for the future of transport in Africa” said Chinenye Okafor, a humanities researcher from the Lagos State University, Nigeria. “We are going to look at how we can collaborate with some of the researchers who presented today “.
The day was punctuated by sessions addressing distinct challenges. The first of these, introduced by transport research consultant Gail Jennings, was the role of evidence and data. Many sub-Saharan African (SSA) cities have limited access to data about people’s movements and modes of transport because they lack adequate funding and capacity to obtain it. Gail introduced three projects doing innovative work around gathering and using data:
- African Urban Mobility Observatory (AUMO), GoMetro: AUMO is a web portal which leverages mobility data to enable planning authorities to improve and optimise transport systems. Big data apps are used to generate data, benchmark performance, and draw policy insights
- Computer vision for public transport, Integrated Transport Planning (ITP), Sierra Leone: ITP has developed a data collection tool using computer vision from many different sources to see what transport is like in specific areas, and where people are walking and cycling.
- Tackling Africa’s road safety and emissions from the source, Autosafety-Uganda: by improving the limited data on older, imported vehicles running on poor roads with no inspections, the project aims to aims to inform policy on transport safety and pollution control.
The next session explored how economic growth in African countries – historically amongst the lowest contributors of carbon emissions – can continue without emissions increasing, and asked whether, rather than Africa’s need for improved mobility presenting a threat to the environment, it could be an opportunity, by identifying new and better ways to develop low-carbon transport pathways. HVT supports a number of key projects addressing this central theme of equipping LICs with the tools necessary to deliver sustainable transport systems, including:
- Decision Support Systems for Resilient Strategic Transport Networks in Low Income Countries, University of Southampton and Oxford University: the project developed a system to assess the vulnerability of transport networks to climate hazards and produced tools to enable decision makers in LMICs to prioritise interventions delivering sustainable and climate resilient long-distance transport networks.
- Road Note 31,TRL: a new edition of HVT’s widely referenced guide gives recommendations for the structural design of surfaced roads in tropical and sub-tropical regions incorporating major improvements and changes of emphasis resulting from differences in materials, climate change and usage of the roads.
- City Retrofit, Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP): looks at effective strategies to integrate transport and land-use planning for better, more affordable mobility and explores transit-oriented development (TOD) and the retrofitting of informal settlements in urban areas in LICs.
- Transitions, Vectos (SLR): works with the informal sector to enable a more efficient, low carbon, affordable and safe transport network for SSA cities. The Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport authority (LAMATA) is an example of how the project is working on the ground.
The future of transport in Africa took centre stage at the next session, with Gary Haq of the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) asking: is there also an opportunity to leap-frog transport approaches already becoming out-dated in the global north and see Africa lead the way with new technologies and new thinking? Five quick presentations gave a snapshot of research exploring the essential modes of transport in Africa, opportunities for the future, and the potential to make these possible:
- Novel traction systems for railway futures, University of Birmingham: cost-effective traction solutions for sustainable railway futures in SSA, including the hydrogen train which could replace the need for electric infrastructure which is expensive and often scarce.
- Cycling and active mobility, Gail Jennings: examined the concept of ‘stifled agility’ and the reasons SSA cities are unable to construct rapid mobility interventions when needed, such as during the pandemic.
- Walking: Carly Gilbert-Patrick, UNEP: the Share the Road Programme works with countries around the world to prioritise investment in infrastructure for cyclists and pedestrians in order to create benefits in the areas of environment, road safety and accessibility.
- The Transport Decarbonisation Index SLOCAT: The TDI assesses a country’s preparedness towards achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, enabling comparisons with other nations and tracking long-term progress.
- Access to Climate Finance, WRI: identifies barriers to accessing climate finance for transport projects in LICs, offers evidence-based recommendations for how to improve access and builds capacities to implement, monitor and scale impacts.
As current transport systems come under strain from climate change, it’s the disadvantaged groups such as the old, disabled, and women and girls who suffer the most with transport that does not meet their needs. A just transition in urban transport means making changes that reduce carbon emissions but at the same time combat existing inequalities. The last session of the day set out to explore why and how the move towards greener, resilient transport must be a ‘just’ transition.
Bright Oywaya, disability advocate, Executive Director of ASIRT Kenya and herself a wheelchair user, gave the keynote speech, drawing on her own experience as a person with disabilities (PWD). She stressed that transport policy is not inclusive, huge gaps exist between policy and implementation leading to a lack of accessible infrastructure and a serious lack of understanding of the needs of PWDs. To break through these barriers, LICs must:
- conduct and use research-led data and evidence-based interventions;
- Include PWDs in planning, design and implementation to understand their needs, priorities and perspectives;
- apply low cost solutions like removing obstacles and levelling bus stops;
- apply universal access principles.
Availability, accessibility, affordability and safety are key, she said. Accessibility should not be an accessory, but must be part of the main transport system.
Two HVT projects seek to counter Bright’s overview of the lack of accessibility in African cities:
- Overseas Road Note 21 – Enhancing the Mobility of Disabled People: A Guidelines for Practitioners, ITP. This best practice document for designing inclusive, accessible transport for PWDs has been updated to reflect improvements and changes in international best practice for accessible transport infrastructure services in LICs, and
- Safety and Mobility Challenges for Persons with Disabilities living in Mekelle City, Mekelle University, Ethiopia: this project explores existing services and the ways PWDs are being served by them in order to identify and rate their safety and mobility challenges, and to identify the transport-related socio-economic problems of PWDs.
Climate change particularly affects the most vulnerable so there is a pressing need to improve climate resilient development that takes into account the needs of these marginalised groups. The project Using Creative Participatory Approaches for Inclusive Climate Resilient Transport in Africa.,SEI and the University of York, guides transport decision makers and planners to understand the application and use of various creative participatory tools. The tools have been used in training events with representatives of PWDs as well as transport planners and politicians in cities including Lusaka and Kampala.
Finally, one of HVT’s most impactful projects addresses sexual harassment on public transport, a well documented problem across Africa and the world. Highlighting concerns around women’s safety and security, the EMPOWER project’s SHE-CAN tool assists policy makers and transport providers to collect data on the sexual harassment women suffer on public transport in their cities.
Oluwaseun Sonoiki, Legal Counsel at Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority – LAMATA described the uptake of the tool in Lagos, where it has led directly to the installation of 2000 CCTV cameras and the development of a gender equality and policy plan at LAMATA. The project is ongoing and is currently in its second phase.