GCC Non-Motorised Transport Project Takes Shape

By Lekopanye Mooketsi
Correspondent | Monday April 16, 2007 00:00

 

The manager of the project, Boatametse Modukanele told Monitor that the idea is to encourage people to walk or cycle for a reasonable distance. 'We are not saying people should abandon their cars,' he said.

He indicated that the project was commissioned last September and would be completed in August next year at an estimated cost of P12 million. The money would be mostly spent on infrastructural development and public awareness campaigns.

Modukanele said one of their objectives is to decrease the number of cars on the roads. He added that they would like to see people leading a healthy life by walking to work or other destinations in town. He said the GCC is already studying the existing roads to see how they could be made safe for people who are walking or cycling. He revealed that the main concern is safety. 'We are concerned about road safety. We would like motorists to respect cyclists. We are looking at road safety from all aspects. We are developing programmes which will be targeting cyclists and inform road users about safe usage of roads.' He said it is difficult for cyclists to cross some junctions. Such junctions would be re-designed. He added that pedestrians and cyclists feel uncomfortable on the road. 
Modukanele said they will conduct a study to identify road spots, which are dangerous to cyclists and pedestrians and to assess road works. Through this study, they would learn about the infrastructural development that needs to be undertaken. 

Modukanele said the Ministry of Works and Transport will be reviewing the Road Traffic Act next year to come up with amendments that would incorporate cycling. Another aspect of the project involves holding consultations with stakeholders. So far there have been extensive consultations with among others city councillors and planners. 'We also held a stake holder forum,' Modukanele said.

Whenever they construct a cycle track, they verify with people to find out whether they would use it.

But there is still a snag in regard to cycling in the country.  Modukanele said local people feel that the weather condition is too hot for cycling to work.

But in other countries like Colombia where the temperatures are high, he said it took about five years for cycling to become popular.

There are also problems of social attitudes associated with a mode of transport that one is using in Botswana.  Modukanele said cycling has been associated with being poor. He feels that it would take time for people to adopt cycling as a mode of transport.

'Eventually people will learn that when you are cycling, it has nothing to do with your social status,' he said.

The non-motorised project team operated from a GCC depot at Block Six Industrial. It leads by example with most of the team members cycling to work on a regular basis. Modukanele said they are targeting another group - university and secondary school students. They have realised that the students walk to school early. He said they encourage the students to walk to school and in the meantime they would come up with initiatives to make the roads safe for them.

The non-motorised transport project was initiated by the GCC with assistance from the UNDP. The non-motorised project is only confined to Gaborone.  Modukanele said they would be using the capital city as a case study. However, he said, when they are holding consultative briefings, they invite stakeholders from other towns like Selebi-Phikwe and Francistown.

Besides Botswana, the UNDP is helping other developing countries to implement the project. Modukanele works for the UNDP. He said the organisation was interested in the project as it could reduce traffic congestion and pollution by cars.  He said they are looking at the issue from an environmental perspective. He points out that similar projects have been successful in Europe.