Non-motorised transport and intermediate means of transport - Low -cost sustainable transport options
Current situation
In South Africa, as in other developing and emerging economies, the
transportation burden faced by the developing rural, peri-urban and urban
communities on a daily basis is real and substantial. Mobility and access to
social services and the economic mainstream come at a high social and
economic cost. Furthermore, the growing urbanization, congestion and
excessive demand for fossil fuel has dictated a need for the South African
transport sector and policy makers to start looking seriously at developing,
implementing and promoting alternative and viable modes of transport.
There is minimal usage of non-motorised transport (NMT) as most people
depend on motorised transport. Until recently, NMT has been at the bottom of
the transportation system agenda and priorities. However, there has been
growing realisation that one key element and potential area of improvement
of mobility is the use of non-motorised transport systems – which provide
low cost, healthy and optimum utilization of space while reducing
externalities associated with transportation. The challenge is to change the
mindset of people on the use of non-motorised transport. In order to succeed
in making NMT an attractive viable mode of transport, there are a number of
interventions that are necessary to transform the mindsets and the
priorities in the planning, design, operation and marketing of the transport
systems.
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Draft Rural Transport Strategy
NMT is included in the Department’s draft Rural Transport Strategy, which
guides the delivery of rural transport infrastructure and services. The
Rural Transport Strategy guides the movement of persons and goods (including
the collection of water or firewood), by any conceivable means and on
various types of infrastructure, which includes un-proclaimed roads, tracks
and footpaths. This implies that the mode of travel does not necessarily
need to be motorized or conventional, but should be cost-effective, suited
to the communities needs and suitable for the environment. A variety of
modes have to be considered during rural transport planning and service
delivery.
The Rural Transport Strategy maps out sustainable programmes of action for
the short, medium and long term (that is up to 20 years) for rural transport
infrastructure and services. Besides the general transport infrastructure
and services, linkage infrastructure and services, the strategy includes
scholar transport and various other sector-specific transport services to
address special needs, non-motorised transport infrastructure and services,
as well as rural freight and postal services, rural logistical services and
the full range of services based on information and communication
technologies.
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The Shova Kalula bicycle programme
The objective of the Shova Kalula (Ride Easy) programme, which was
implemented as a pilot programme in 2001, is to promote and maximize the use
of Non-Motorised Transport (NMT) in order to enable communities to access
social and economic opportunities at a lower cost. Shova Kalula also aims to
create an enabling environment that will mainstream bicycle transport into
the public transport system through the provision of institutional support
mechanisms. The main focus of this project is to promote cycling as a low
cost mobility solution to low-income households, targeting mainly scholars,
women and farm workers.
The Department’s role in Shova Kalula is to oversee the implementation of
the project and focus on the development of a long-term sustainable non-motorised
transport strategy and policy formulation. The Department of Transport’s
budget for the programme is sometimes augmented by provincial budgets.
Provinces draft business plans for the distribution of bicycles and the
setting up of cycle shops and enter into agreements with municipalities. The
Department of Transport procures the bicycles and sends them to the
provinces, as per the approved business plans.
The Shova Kalula project implementation is now in phase 4 and has a target
of rolling out 1 million bicycles countrywide by 2010. This delivery target
is in line with the resolution and action plan of the African Minister’s
Transport Summit held in Addis Ababa in 2005. This meeting agreed to a range
of targets that countries must meet by 2010 in line with the Millennium
Goals of the UN. These targets include, amongst other things, the need to
provide safe, affordable and reliable transport to learners and school
children in rural and urban areas. In practical terms, this includes the
construction of dedicated bicycle pathways, safety education for cyclists as
well as promotion and rollout of bicycles. Partnerships with private sector
and civil society are being developed to promote cycling and rollout of
bicycles.
In order to reach this target of 1 million bicycles to be rolled out by
2010, the Department of Transport’s strategic plan for 2007 – 2010 sets out
the following targets for the distribution of bicycles:
- 60,000 bicycles during the 2007/2008 financial year;
- 200,000 bicycles during the 2008/2009 financial year; and
- 500,000 bicycles during the 2009/2010 financial year.
The 10-year Shova Kalula rollout plan for the rollout of the 1 million
bicycles includes criteria for the selection of beneficiaries for
bicycles and the monitoring and evaluation framework. The plan will be
available on the website soon.
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Animal drawn carts
The Department is piloting the use of animal-drawn carts as a transport
solution in deep-rural areas, where there are hardly any motorised
vehicles, very little transport infrastructure and communities cannot
afford to make use of motorised public transport where these are
available.
Since this country still lacks appropriately and sustainable Non-motorised
transport (NMT) designs in accordance with engineering, technical and
environmentally approved standards, the Department participated in the
two-week workshop in the North West province hosted by the Design
Institute South Africa (DISA), a subdivision of the South African Bureau
of Standards (SABS). During the workshop, titled: “Interdesign 2005 –
Sustainable Rural Transport”, international and local industrial
designers participated in the design of donkey carts and bicycles. The
Department is financing the development of the workable prototypes these
designs, which have the potential of being manufactured or at least
assembled within the local rural communities.
One of the options being considered for the manufacturing of animal
drawn carts is the Kgalakgadi model, where members of the community
build the carts themselves and thus stimulate the local economy via the
manufacturing process.
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Intermediate means of transport
The National Road Traffic Act does not allow for the use of pedal cycles
that are powered by anything but human pedalling. The Department is
looking at introducing standards - in the form of SANS 311
specifications - to allow for bicycles that are powered by electricity
as well.
The current definition of motor vehicles in the Act includes electric
cycles and requires that they comply with other specification that are
applicable to motor vehicles.
Pilot projects to make motorcycling safer and to increase the awareness
of electric cycles once the standards have been introduced, are also
being considered.
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Non-motorised transport and intermediate means of
transport conference and exhibition
From 22 to 23 February 2007, the Department hosted a Non-Motorised
Transport (NMT) and Intermediate Means of Transport (IMT) Conference and
Exhibition as part of the short term quick win strategies detailed in
the Department’s strategic plan for 2006 to 2009.
The theme of the Conference was: “Expanding the boundaries of non-motorised
and intermediate means of transport for sustainable livelihoods”. The
conference was linked to an exhibition and was held at Gallagher estate
in Midrand.
NMT experts from South Africa, the Netherlands, India, Brazil and North
America gave presentations on NMT policy, strategy, traffic legislation,
road safety, infrastructure and planning, intermodalism, the efforts of
NGOs and private enterprise in developing cycling, NMT and the 2010
Soccer World Cup and the developing of NMT prototypes.
The presentations, conference resolutions and conference report are
available on the website, communications centre, conferences.
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