“At a minimum 10% of all road infrastructure projects should be committed to road safety. This principle should be rigorously and consistently applied by all bilateral and multilateral donors.” Commission for Global Road Safety
Dedicating an appropriate percentage of road building funds for road safety, including infrastructure for non-motorized users, can provide high social and environment returns at low cost.
Encouraging safer cycling and walking through improved road space allocation and safer road infrastructure enables cleaner air, low carbon mobility, road safety for all users (including drivers), improved business environments, more liveable cities, and more affordable commutes.
Focus on Africa
Good transport, communication, and energy infrastructure is necessary for commerce and development, lowering the cost of doing business. Roads are crucial for ensuring access to education, employment, and health care everywhere, but they are particularly important in developing countries. Africa has the lowest global percentage of paved road surface and also the world’s most dangerous roads. Roads in Africa require investment and renewed interest from donors and investors promises to address years of neglect.
However, roads must be designed and built to be safer while also promoting environmentally friendly transport. Roads that enable safe cycling and walking are an important part of achieving both safety and lower emission goals, especially in cities.
In most major cities in Africa more than 50% of all trips are non-motorized, mainly on foot. Designated cycle lanes and sidewalks can help to reduce congestion, fuel consumption and cost, greenhouse gas emissions, local air pollution, and road hazards. Sidewalks and cycle lanes will help road users to meet mobility needs more efficiently, securely, and affordably.
Smart, safe design can benefit all road users, making roads safer and easier to use for everyone - pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers. Dedicating a percentage of road infrastructure funds (e.g. 10%) for safety, including cycling and walking facilities, is a relatively simple way to improve road safety and overall mobility in Africa while lowering dangerous pollution and CO2 emissions.
