Transport and the village : findings from African village-level travel and transport surveys and related studies

This paper, prepared under the Rural Travel and Transport Project (RTTP) of the sub-Saharan Africa Transport Policy Program (SSATP) focuses on local level transport in rural Africa. Households surveys and case studies on intermediate means of transport (IMT) and the role of transport in women's lives were carried out to enhance the understanding of the circumstances under which local level transport imposes a constraint, of the nature of that constraint, and of the appropriate measures to alleviate the constraint. The report synthesizes the key findings and recommendations from research comprising five village-level surveys of household travel and transport demands in three countries - Burkina Faso, Uganda and Zambia. The paper examines the multi-sectoral implications of rural transport and the related issues in policy formation, institutional structure and planning. It defines a range of policy measures which would facilitate an effective response to rural transport needs. It also advocates a more integrated approach to rural transport planning at the local level and recommends that accessibility be considered in the design of many types of development projects and programs. This report presents a synthesis of key findings from the research and an agenda for those whose aim is to improve rural mobility and access in sub-Saharan Africa.