Safe Routes to School Demonstration Project

Contact: Asteria Mlambo
Association for Advancing Low-Cost Mobility (AALOCOM)

The majority of Tanzania's urban dwellers face chronic mobility problems including: high proportions of family income needed for daily travel; long travel distances due to fast city growth; a poor route infrastructure network, especially for walking and cycling; and a high number of traffic accidents involving non-motorized transport users. These problems are even worse for school children, who are sometimes denied access on private buses. Female students are sometimes forced to engage in relationships with male drivers or conductors to facilitate easy entry in the private buses and many children suffer from poor attendance and late arrival at school. The cost of transport also limits access to schools and disrupts education, especially of female pupils.

The Association for Advancing Low Cost Mobility (AALOCOM) was formed to address the mobility needs of Tanzania's urban dwellers, starting with school children. The Safe Routes to School Demonstration Project is in the planning stages at the time of writing, but it is a spectacular example of a community responding to a community problem in a manner that is participatory, broad-based and open. AALOCOM recognizes that the success of the project depends on the participation of the different parties responsible. Using a broad base of stakeholders (parents, teachers, police, NGOs, transportation officials and decision makers), AALOCOM's participatory approach creates a sense of ownership and responsibility around child, pedestrian and cycling safety issues.

The project will be piloted in a medium sized city with significant traffic problems, using schools with a high percentage of children residing 2-3 kilometres away. It will focus on:

• identifying walking and cycling routes to school where traffic safety is a major concern;
• educating parents about child pedestrian safety issues and solutions;
• developing traffic calming and infrastructure plans and work with parents, community leaders and decision makers to reach agreement on what changes to make;
• facilitating availability of affordable bicycles to teachers and pupils.

AALOCOM will work with an international NGO partner, while local authorities will organize the target schools. The Tanzanian government will also participate. Other activities planned for AALOCOM during the next five years include:

• improving Low Cost Mobility for self employed women and youth; and
• making low cost mobility affordable (mobilizing communities to insist on a reduction or elimination of taxes levied on bicycles and parts - 20% VAT and 25% Import Duty).