Transport-Land Use Research Study - Millennium Cities Initiative ...

The Accra Pilot BRT: Transport-Land Use Research Study
Millennium Cities Initiative and Accra Metropolitan Assembly
frustration at their exclusion from the planning and design process and at the lack of opportunity to
participate in or contribute to the proposed changes slated to be a part of the BRT project. To address both of
these issues within the context of the meeting, the session evolved into more of an educational session, with
the opportunity to dialogue and express concerns.
Participants highlighted five major concerns: parking; pedestrian access, the design of the flyover bridge in
terms of the needs of the physically challenged; the impact of the BRT on the area‟s commercial activity; and
customers‟ access to business along the corridor. Although the Kaneshie area is vibrantly commercial,
adequate parking for shop owners to off-load goods and for customers to cart goods has been a source of
concern, both for city managers and for business operators.
Participants also expressed their concern as to whether their customers would be able to park and access their
shops and services, as well as to whether meeting the parking needs for distribution would be worked into the
BRT project.
Pedestrian access for customers is a key concern for the business community. One difficulty at present is the
inadequate number of zebra crossings (pedestrian street crosswalks) at different points along Winneba Road.
A planned pedestrian bridge to be located at the eastern end of Winneba Road would provide access to the
other side of the road and to the BRT station; participants‟ concerns centered on increasing customers‟
pedestrian access to their shops. They proposed buiding an underground tunnel instead of the overhead
pedestrian footbridge. In their view, the tunnel could also provide the desired access but would protect
pedestrians from car traffic.
The design of the flyover and its capacity to accommodate the needs of physically challenged customers was
another concern, with a number of individuals complaining about the height and steepness of the footbridge
steps, especially for the elderly and physically disabled.
Participants also voiced concern about the impact of the BRT on local commercial activity, both during the
construction phase and once the BRT becomes fully operational. For example, during the construction
period, vehicular traffic would have to be re-routed to the area using residential roads for access. This would
limit the access of commercial operators, distributors and customers to the area. One long-haul bus service
operator expressed concern about the use of the remaining two lanes on either side, one of which has
customarily been used for boarding and disembarking passengers. The use of these two lanes and the impact
upon commercial bus operations are therefore important concerns for bus operators, particularly those whose
operations would not be subsumed under the BRT project. The UPTU plans to prohibit parking, loading and
off-loading on the road, so as to efficiently move traffic along the remaining two lanes.
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