Fast-tracking public transport priority

Abstract

Armed with the know-how, lessons learnt, challenges, and successes of already implemented Tactical Transit Lanes (TTLs) across a spectrum of cities, this study considers the current provision of public transport in low-income cities in Sub-Saharan Africa, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on transport, and the potential benefits of TTLs on high-volume transport routes in terms of adding capacity to the city’s public transport provision and other consequential benefits. It was also important to investigate and show that proposals could be positioned as part of a long-term strategy and be tractable and scalable. By using existing public transport data and the application of an assessment matrix, the study shows that significant benefits could accrue to case cities from the implementation of TTLs on the sections of the public transport network investigated, in terms of person throughput and in terms of time savings for workers and for operators (thus fuel and costs). The implementation of high-volume priority transport routes during the COVID-19 pandemic would therefore result in increased public transport services which would enable safer, more efficient, and more ‘carcompetitive’ public transport travel and have value beyond the immediate response to COVID-19. The scope of the technique proposed could also be broadened and applied in neighbouring areas as similar benefits could be accrued. This is an output of the High Volume Transport Applied Research Programme