Transforming Transport: Pedestrian Safety and Public Transport for Vulnerable Populations

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Transforming Transport Pedestrian Safety and
Public Transport for Vulnerable Populations

• Transforming Transport for Vulnerable Road Users
  The Needs of Women, Children and the Elderly
• Xochitl Benjamin
• Social Development Theme Champion gTKP

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Outline of presentation

• About the global Transport Knowledge Partnership
• Definition of the problem
• Scope of the problem
• Actions policies
• Knowledge gaps

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What is gTKP?

• gTKP is a partnership-based approach to the
  dissemination of transport knowledge which aims
  to provide developing countries with easy access
  to the best available knowledge and research.
• We work on knowledge management and dissemination
  in 7 key areas related to road transport in
  developing countries

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About gTKP Themes
Social Development
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About gTKP Rationale

• Roads and transport have a direct impact on
  poverty reduction through access to markets,
  employment and basic services.
• Efficient and safe transport is fundamental to
  the achievement of the MDG targets.
• International aid and investment alone cannot
  solve the transport challenge better use of
  existing knowledge is key to long-term solutions.
• Substantial knowledge already exists, both
  explicit and implicit, but it is not always
  reaching those who need it.

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Delivery

• The gTKP has a website and a portfolio of
  programme and project activities, undertaken by
  theme champions, partners and management.
• Transport knowledge products include our website,
  news bulletins, helpdesk, briefing papers, email
  discussion groups and communities of practice.
• Our themes connect specific communities of users,
  provide original gap research, and roll out
  evidence-based advisory work and workshops as
  well as updating of both policy and technical
  material.

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Definition vulnerable road users

• Someone with little or no external protection, or
  has reduced task capabilities, or reduced
  stamina/physical capabilities.
• Women, children, the elderly and the poor tend to
  make up the majority of this category

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Impacts on these groups

• Children no choice, no voice
• Women hit from all sides
• Elderly excluded by design

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Road Traffic Deaths Worldwide by Sex and Age
Group, 2002
Source WHO Global Burden of Disease Project,
Version 1 (2002).
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Narrow concept of impacts

• Safety agenda focused on accidents victims,
  does not link these to broader social and
  political conditions, decisions

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A broad understanding of impacts

• Pressure on caregivers, families
• Safety and security (e.g. sexual harassment,
  violence)
• Safety of NMTs/slow-moving vehicles used by the
  poor
• Village transport infrastructure (e.g. paths,
  river crossings, etc.)
• Social connections, linkages and opportunities

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The nature and scale of the problems

• Large-scale, underestimated and growing.
• Responsibility for safe mobility of VRU mainly
  rests with others VRU cause little danger to
  others but run serious risks which they often
  cannot avoid themselves.
• The road safety of VRUs cannot be disassociated
  from the quality and safety of mobility
• Problems due to road accidents are much more
  devastating and far-reaching for VRUs than for
  the average road user

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Causal factors

• Knowledge is poorly documented, particularly
  long-term
• The traffic and transport systems are not made
  for VRU vehicle design and road design have
  serious problems
• Behaviour of those causing the problems
• Poor management/enforcement/coordination
• Lack of political power of VRU
• Breakdown in costbenefit link

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Actions and policies

• Emphasize quality and quantity of mobility
  options for VRU
• Mainstream universal design principles
• Emphasize linkages between social, public and
  spatial environments
• Measures to improve safety for VRU cannot be
  improved without measures aimed at mainstream
  road users
• Understanding of road safety must be broad and
  linked to clear understanding of the needs and
  habits of VRU.
• VRUs must be part of the decision-making process

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Work of gTKP

• Road safety as a discreet cross-cutting theme
  (in social development)
• Working with global organisations such as iRAP,
  GRSP, UN, national governments, AfDB, ADB, WB
• Developing gTKP knowledge base
• Filling knowledge gaps

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Thank you

• Join us