Promoting sustainable transport Solutions for East Africa-Addis Ababa

85 Pages·2012·4.11 MB·English

Transport Research Laboratory
Creating the future of transport

Provision for Non - Motorised Transport in Addis Ababa

and recommendations for improvements

Prepared for: United Nation s Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT)
Project Ref: GEF Sustainable Transport Solutions – Addis Ababa (11111024)

Quality approved:
Derek Palmer

(Project Director)
Non Motorised Transport
Contents
Glossary 5
1 Introduction 6
1.1 Addis Ababa 6
1.2 TRL’s assessment of the level of provision for NMT 7
2 Report Structure 8
3 Methodology 9
3.1 Stage 1: A review of background information 9
3.2 Stage 2: Meetings with key stakeholders 10
3.3 Stage 3: Definition of the study area 10
3.4 Stage 4: Desktop identification of links, crossings and waiting areas to
be audited 11
3.5 Stage 5: On-street evaluation and strategic assessment 12
3.5.1 Parameters 13
3.5.2 Scoring 15
3.6 Stage 6: Data analysis 15
3.7 Stage 7: Display and review outputs and develop recommendations 16
4 Findings 17
4.1 Review of background material 17
4.2 Results of the on street evaluation and strategic assessment 20
5 Recommendations 38
6 Conclusion 47
7 References 48

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List of Figures
Figure 1 A map of Addis Ababa highlighting the current BRT demonstration corridor
and proposed routes .............................................................................................. 8

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List of Tables
Table 1: A definition of links, crossing and public transport waiting areas as used in
the audit ............................................................................................................ 12
Table 2: Parameters assessed against for the links, crossings and waiting areas. ........ 13
Table 3: Key characteristics of non-motorised transport in Addis Ababa in 2005
(Urban Transport Study, 2005) ............................................................................. 17
Table 4: Issues identified with provision for NMT in the Urban Transport Study, 2005 .. 18
Table 5 A summary of the findings of the of the NMT audit carried out by TRL.. .......... 20
Table 6 Examples of good practice observed during the audit ................................... 31
Table 7: Recommendations for planning and institutional design ............................... 39
Table 8:Technical recommendations for provision for NMT ........................................ 42
Table 9: Minimum effective width set out in AACRA’s geometric design manual ........... 19
Table 10: Scoring used for the PERS assessment in the UK ...................................... 20

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Glossary
Acronym Interpretation
AACRA Addis Ababa City Roads Administration
AFD Agence Française de Développement (The French Development Agency)
Anbessa Addis Ababa City Bus Company
BRT Bus Rapid Transit
CERS Cycle Environment Review System
CIHT Chartered Institution of Highways & Transportation
GEF Global Environmental Facility
Km/h Kilometres per hour
LHS Left Hand Side
LRT Light Rapid Transit
MoT Ethiopian Ministry of Transport
N-bound North bound
NMT Non-Motorised Transport
Nxing North crossing
PERS Pedestrian Environment Review System
Public Transport
PT
PTWA Public Transport Waiting Areas
Q of E Quality of the Environment
RAG Red Amber Green
RHS Right Hand Side
S&S Safety and security
S-bound South bound
Sxing South crossing
TDM Transport, Travel or Traffic Demand Management
TRL Transport Research Laboratory, UK
UNEP United Nations Environment Program
UN Habitat United Nations Human Settlements Programme
xover Crossover
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1 Introduction
TRL has entered into a partnership agreement with UN-Habitat to support the
development of a sustainable, low carbon transport system in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The
5 year project, for which UN-Habitat is the executing agency, forms part of a wider GEF1
funded programme of work, which is also supporting action in Nairobi, Kenya and
Kampala, Uganda.
As part of the programme TRL are working to raise awareness of the importance of non-
motorised transport to the development of sustainable transport systems and to help
ensure that there are improvements in the level of provision for NMT across Addis Ababa
as planned public transport improvements are made.
Improving provision for pedestrian will help to maintain the currently high modal share
of walking within the city and help to discourage a shift towards travels by private
motorised vehicle.
This supports the realisation of a number of benefits including:
 Improving environmental quality Pedestrians generate no air pollution,
greenhouse gases and little noise pollution;
 Reducing congestion Pedestrians use limited road space more efficiently than
private motor vehicles helping to combat congestion by providing an alternative
to car use for short trips and helping avoid the need for providing space for
parking;
 Supporting the economy Improving the efficiency of NMT supports the
economy; as walking is a slow mode of transport forcing people to walk long
distances out of their way, rather than providing safe and direct routes for
pedestrians, has a very high economic cost;
 Improving accessibility for all Improvements to provision support accessibility
for the poor and promote social cohesion;
 Supporting health improvements Waking and cycling support health benefits
as the aerobic exercise helps combat a number of health complaints including
obesity, depression and diabetes; and
 Improving safety Improving provision for walking and cycling supports a
reduction in fatalities and injuries resulting from road accidents (GIZ, 20032).
1.1 Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa, capital city of Ethiopia, lies at an altitude of 2,300 metres and has a
population of 3.2 million inhabitants. Due to rapid urbanization and population growth, it
is expected that the overall population will reach 5.5 million inhabitants by 20203.
Car ownership is currently low in Addis Ababa (below 100 vehicles per 1000 of
population), though rapidly increasing mainly due to economic growth and the
introduction of low cost private cars into the local market.

Non-motorised transport (NMT), and particularly walking dominates the modal split for
daily trips in Addis Ababa, making up approximately 62% of total trips. Despite this
there is currently poor provision for non-motorized transport in the city with over 60% of
the street network lacking footways. Walking also suffers from unsafe crossing points
along many roads, including major urban highways which are often wide with no
pedestrian priority. Access on foot to bus stops along the demonstration bus priority

1 Global Environmental Facility
2 GIZ (2003), A sourcebook for policy makers in developing cities. Module 3D, Preserving and enhancing the
role of non-motorised transport.
3 UN Habitat, Overview of GEF-Sustran project
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corridor is often inconvenient or faces hazards. Poor provision is reflected in the number
of road accidents in Addis Ababa, which are increasing by 12% per year.
Public transport (provided by publicly owned operator “Anbessa” and individual mini-bus
operators) occupies more than half of the remaining 38% of the motorised trips, while
private cars and taxis make up a small, but growing, proportion.
The Ministry of Transport recently adopted a plan to reform public transport and invest in
mass rapid transit solutions. Apart from on-going renovation of the bus fleet of the City’s
main provider Anbessa, the Ministry aims to implement a network of seven Bus Rapid
Transit (BRT) corridors, as well as two Light Rail Transit (LRT) routes in the next few
years. There is a significant opportunity to ensure that improvements to the provision for
non-motorised transport are carried out in parallel with public transport improvements
supporting the development of sustainable transport systems in the city.
The city’s Local Development Plan aims to “promote cost-effective movement systems”
and “accessibility through improving relationships between people, places and activities”.
Nevertheless, currently, poor facilities exist for cyclists. No cycle parking or cycle
priorities, for example cycle lanes, are present. Furthermore from its lowest point, at
2,326 m (7,631 ft) above sea level the city rises to over 3,000 m (9,800 ft) making
cycling unattractive in many areas of Addis Ababa, although there are other areas which
are relatively flat where cycling could be promoted. These occur mainly to the east and
south of the city centre.
1.2 TRL’s assessment of the level of provision for NMT
In February 2012 TRL undertook a mission to Addis Ababa, the focus of which was to
assess the current level of provision for non-motorised transport, focusing in particular
on the current bus priority demonstration corridor in the city.
A street audit of the current level of provision for pedestrians and cyclists along the bus
priority demonstration corridor was undertaken. Data collected was subsequently
analysed using the expert judgement of the auditors to highlight the key issues with the
current level of provision. Recommendations for both short and long term improvements
were then developed.
The aim is that the findings of this work can be used to support the improvement of
provision across the city as public transport improvements are made. Whilst the report
focuses on provision for pedestrians and cyclists along the bus priority and BRT corridors
it also provides more strategic recommendations for improvements to aid pedestrians
and cyclists across the city.

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2 Report Structure
This report presents the findings of the NMT audit undertaken in February 2012. The
report provides:
 An introduction to the GEF Sustrans Programme and background information on
Addis Ababa (Chapter One);
 A summary of the NMT assessment methodology used (Chapter Three);
 The findings of the review of background information (Chapter 4);
 Key findings of the assessment of the level of pedestrian provision along the
demonstration bus priority corridor and across the city, supported by photographs
(Chapter 4);
 Short and long term recommendations for improving provision along the bus
priority demonstration corridor that should be considered when developing future
BRT routes (Chapter 5);
 Strategic recommendations for improving pedestrian provision across the city
(Chapter 6); and
 Case studies highlighting examples of international good practice.
The aim is that the findings can be used to support the improvement of provision for
pedestrians across the city as public transport improvements are made, especially during
the introduction of the BRT routes.

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3 Methodology
The assessment of non –motorised transport in Addis Ababa was broken down into a
number of stages.
 Stage 1: A review of background information.
 Stage 2: Meetings with key stakeholders.
 Stage 3: Definition of the study area.
 Stage 4: Desktop identification of links, crossings, and public transport waiting
areas.
 Stage 5: On-street evaluation.
 Stage 6: Data analysis.
 Stage 7: Display and review outputs and development recommendations.
3.1 Stage 1: A review of background information
TRL reviewed a number of local studies and policies to ensure that the audit built on, and
was consistent with, work that has already been undertaken. The main studies
considered were:
The Urban Transport Study for Addis Ababa

The World Bank funded a study in 2005, the aims of which were to develop:
 An Urban Transport Policy Framework and implementation plan for Addis Ababa;
 A list of prioritised investments; and
 An urban transport database.

The study identified the modal share of walking in 2005 and provided an estimate of
expected future demand. It highlighted possible strategies for improving the level of
provision for pedestrians including quick wins.
Addis Ababa Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Line Feasibility Study
The Agence Française de Développement (AFD) intend to develop and implement a
comprehensive BRT strategy for Addis Ababa comprising state-of-the-art and integrated
solutions tailored to the specific needs and characteristics of the city. The integration of
the BRT system into the other existing and planned transport systems (LRT, public
busses, midibuses, minibuses and taxis, road network enhancements and improvements
for walking and cycling) is essential to achieve this goal.
The AFD funded a feasibility study for the BRT system in Addis Ababa which was
completed and launched in October 2010. The study identified seven route options,
including an initial demonstration route (B2) which will travel through the city from North
to South from Wingate, Regional Bus Station to Gofa Gabriel (a different location from
the current BRT demonstration corridor)
The AFD subsequently undertook a mission to Addis Ababa in May 2011 to investigate
the support that would be required for the development of the demonstration route (B2).
The report identified the current gaps in relation to the implementation of the project
and suggests the development of a project management unit to management the
implementation process.
TRL’s Pedestrian Environment Review System (PERS) Guidance Manual
TRL have developed a ‘systematic process designed to assess the quality of the
pedestrian environment within a framework that promotes objectivity’ known as PERS –
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the Pedestrian Environment Review System. The process of review is designed to be cost
effective and gather information that is of use to a range of agencies.
PERS is a comprehensive and consistent review framework which can be used to assess
the current level of service for pedestrians. It may also be used to monitor changes in
performance over time.
The outputs of a PERS review may be used at a number of levels simultaneously:
 To assist with strategic planning and the accurate targeting of resources;
 To establish the relative quality of different pedestrian environment within a
framework that promotes objectivity; and
 To provide an opportunity to review at a detailed level the opportunities for
improving individual facilities.
A guidance manual has been developed for assessors undertaking audits to help ensure
the quality of auditing and consistency between auditors who are basing their
assessment on a common understanding of the appropriate standards.
A separate system, based on consistent principles, has been developed to cater for
cyclists’ facilities – CERS - the Cycle Environment Review System.
It should be noted that the PERS and CERS systems have been developed in the UK and
is based on UK standards. Due to the developing nature of provision for pedestrians and
cyclists in Addis Ababa a bespoke version of the review, based on internationally
recognised principles, was developed that was tailored to the conditions in Addis Ababa.
3.2 Stage 2: Meetings with key stakeholders
TRL met with a number of key stakeholders during the project mission to discuss the
wider project, including:
 Yetmyet Berhanu (Ministry of Transport);
 Bedilu Assefa Alemayehu (Anbessa City Bus);
 Fekadu Haile (Addis Ababa City Roads Authority - AACRA);
 Dinberu Girma (Ministry of Transport);
 Ato Fikere, Mr. Maikonen (Beza Consulting);
 Cheikh Dia (Agence Francaise de Developpement) ;
 Tibleste Asgedom (Addis Ababa Transport Office); and
 Tameru Woundimagegnehu (Ethio-French Cooperation for Urban Development).

Non-motorised transport was discussed as and when appropriate.
3.3 Stage 3: Definition of the study area
The audit focussed on the current level of provision for pedestrians and cyclists along the
demonstration bus priority corridor - highlighted in red on the map below. This route
will, in due course, become LRT2.
A more strategic audit of the level of provision for pedestrians in different area types
across the rest of the city was undertaken – focussing on main roads within specific
areas identified.

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