URBAN TRANSPORTATION CHALLENGES IN ACCRA: IS THE BRT A SOLUTION?

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Abstract

This study set out to examine the role of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) in Ghana in resolving the transportation challenges in Accra. The study employed qualitative research approach with semi- structured interviews as its main instrument of data collection. In all, a sample size of thirty includes policy makers of Bus Rapid Transit affectionately called Ayalolo at the Ministry of Transport, management members of the BRT. The study was conducted only in Accra, where the BRT has been piloted. The study found out that, traffic congestion in the city of Accra occurs within the peak hours of 6:00am- 10:30 and 4:30 pm-7:30 and is caused by lack of effective public transport system, limited road network, ever increasing population growth, and over concentration of businesses and activities at the central business district and

The study reveals that, the Bus Rapid Transport System is the best remedy for the excessive traffic congestion within the city due to its ability to carry large volumes of passengers, dedicated lane and possibility of ceasing the increasing and constant use of private cars on the roads.

Despite these great advantages associated with the system, the study found that, there are financial, political, and infrastructural challenges impeding the effectiveness of the BRT system.

The study recommends that, management and government should develop an alternative system that seeks to secure government support in managing the system as well as develop adequate infrastructure for the system’s operation.

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CHAPTER ONE

BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

Introduction

The first chapter of the study discusses the background to the study and problem statement. The chapter also presents the aim and objectives of the study, research questions and significance of the study, theoretical perspective and the organization of the study.

  Background to the study

A well developed and progressive transportation system is essential to the growth and development of every society, both in the advanced and developing countries. To this end, studies have identified the essential role of transportation to the economic and social development to society, which is often regarded to not be overemphasized. For instance, Intikhab et al. (2008), indicated that, a well built and efficient transportation system is a recipe to the effective and efficient management of the daily transportation and economic needs of people in a country. Access to employment centers, education, health centers, individual private homes and other essential social services makes the use of transportation very essential as it links people to the various service centers in their daily routines.

Principal among users of transportation is the inhabitants of city. Growing population makes city dwellers and urban transportation an issue of critical concern to the individual and city managers as the ever-increasing population rate puts pressure on transportation. As a result, urban cities, globally, have witnessed an increasing rate of motorization, since the 1988 global car population exceeded 400 million (Walsh, 1990). The ever-increasing rate of individual motorization, according to Dimitriou (1991) has been occasioned by the inability of most countries, both

developed and developing to manage efficiently urban transportation needs. I n the United Kingdom for instance, a study entitled the “Mobility 20130 report” by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development in 2004 indicate that nearly 700 million light-duty vehicles. The report also indicated that individual vehicular usages was increasing at 2% annually and most likely will reach 1.3 billion by 2030 and almost over 2 billion by 2050. Accordingly, at least, 99% of such increases will happen in various cities around the world, according to the report.

The recent increasing rate of individual motorization coupled with the ever-increasing population growth particularly in the urban centers of developing countries has led, greatly to traffic congestion. According to Taylor et al. (2000;18), “traffic congestion presents a common, if not inevitable, facet of traffic activity in a region, particularly in urban areas and this has resulted in, longer travel times, additional fuel consumption, high pollution levels, vehicle wear and tear, disutility from crowding; and (in the longer run) the costs of relocating jobs and residences and a deteriorating urban environment that has a direct bearing on sustainable development” (Intikhab et al., 2008; Palma & Lindsey, 2002). Traffic congestion has thus become central to policy makers and the policy development process in both developed and developing countries as it has debilitating impact on development effort in the country. Economically, Schrank & Lomax, (1999), reported that, in the USA traffic congestion has led to a loss in revenue to the tune of $72 billion in 1997. Similarly, in Europe Prud’homme (1997) reported that European Commission estimated that traffic congestion had taken a swipe of 2% of the Gross Domestic Product in the area.

This situation is not peculiar to only the advanced economies of the world but also to developing societies like Ghana, South Africa, and Nigeria amongst others with the economic impact more

intriguing in the developing world than the advanced society (Carisma & Lowder, 2008). Socially, traffic congestion affects the ability of commuters to reach people on time whereas impacting the quality of the environment as well through the release of gases and energy consumption into the atmosphere increasing the rate of global warming. Considering the rate of congestion and debilitating impacts associated with traffic congestion, several policies and measures have been introduced in most countries like Ghana. In the case of Ghana for instance, traffic congestion measures in urban centers like Accra has included but not limited to maintaining the current road and bridge system; constructing new roads, bridges, and non-highway infrastructure; encouraging an appropriate balance between different modes, especially by developing alternatives such as public transportation, and finally, employing transportation systems management and operations strategies to maximize the capacity of the infrastructure already in place (Paniati, 2004). An important addition to the numerous traffic combustion strategies in Ghana, has been the introduction of the Bus Rapid Transport system (hereafter known as BRT) to salvage the transportation and traffic congestion situation in the country. The focus of this study thus is to examine whether the BRT is a solution to the traffic congestion and transportation problem in Accra, one of the main urban congested cities in the country.

Problem statement

Urban transportation challenge is one such a critical issue to the bane of transportation needs and development effort of Ghana’s largest city, Accra. The current transportation challenge in Ghana’s largest city has been occasioned by the ever-increasing population growth of migrant to the city.

Until relatively recently and in the last decades, the population rate of the city was not as high as the current situation and the city in the last decades as well, had a well efficient public transportation system that catered for the needs of the small size population. However, a sudden collapse of the public transportation system caused a stir to the urban transportation needs of the city (Yankson & Grant, 2003; Addo, 2002; GSS, 2002). Despite this, the quest by the government to reinstate the efficacy of public urban transportation saw the introduction of the Metro Mass Transport System (MMTS) with a component of the system designed to specifically provide urban and intra city transportation needs of the largest city in the country (Addo, 2002), however, the situation took a new turn as the MMTS could not provide the intra city transport needs of the urban centers causing a rather huge transportation needs for the city of Accra.

This led to the private sector taking a central stage to the transportation quest of the city through the infamous “trotro system”, a popular means of urban transportation system controlled and managed by individual car owners in the country. Again, individual car owners also meet their transportation needs in the city through privately owned family and individual cars. This situation has led to a rather an upsurge in the number of cars on the city’s roads coupled with the ever- increasing population rate of the city in the country as individuals in meeting their transportation needs have resorted to buying cars.

Again, private urban buses have quadrupled more than ever expected and this has been a bane to the urban transportation needs in the city of Accra causing a more than proportionate and necessary rate of traffic congestion in the city leaving commuters stranded in the early hours of the day striving to reach their work places, school and access other socially important services. The government and the urban transportation management agency has thus introduced a system of Bus

Rapid Transfer otherwise commonly referred to as “Ayalolo” in the capital city to deal with the menace. The focal point of this study is to examine how and whether the introduction of BRT is a solution to the urban transportation challenge in Accra.

Research Aim

  • The overall aim of the study is to examine the role of the BRT in Ghana in resolving the transportation challenges in Accra.

  Research Objectives

  • To examine the various causes of traffic congestion in Accra
  • To examine how the BRT system can help minimize the transportation and traffic challenge in Accra
    • To assess the challenges of the BRT in Accra
  • To recommend the most appropriate measures that can be adopted to minimize traffic congestion in Accra.

Research Questions

  • What are the various causes of traffic congestion in Accra?
  • What role has the BRT in resolving the transportation challenges in Accra?
  • What are the challenges of BRT in Accra

What likely measures can be adopted to deal with the challenge of transportation in Accra?

  Significance of the study

The conduct of this study will serve the following importance.

First, the findings of this research work will aid in unearthing the various urban transportation challenges in the city of Accra, Ghana. Data on the challenges of Accra’s transportation will help various urban transport management agencies and the government in dealing with the challenge over a period of time.

Secondly, the study will help in examining the various appropriate means of resolving the urban traffic congestion in the city of Accra. This is possible as the study will examine various options of urban traffic congestion resolution across other countries in Africa and the world. Moreover, through the study, the agencies in charge of urban traffic management will help fashion out how this menace can either be minimized and/or eliminated if possible from the city.

Finally, the findings of the study will aid in examining how the BRT system commonly known as the “Ayalolo” in Accra is either helping ease the transportation challenge or not. Through this study, data will be gathered on the role and/or effectiveness or otherwise of the BRT system in meeting the traffic congestion and urban transportation needs of the city of Accra. By this, a more than concrete and definite decision as regards the role of the BRT will be established. This will go a long a way to help managers of the BRT and urban traffic managers as to how the system has and/or is helping resolve the traffic situation in the city.

Organization of the study

The study is organized into five chapters. Chapter one details the background, problem statement, research goal and objectives, research questions and significance of the study. The chapter also discusses how the research work is organized. Chapter two on the other hand takes on the literature review with chapter three taking on the methodology of the research work. Chapter four details the discussion and analysis of findings with chapter five taking on the summary, conclusion and recommendations of the study.