....to decongest cities
Government is reviewing its policy on the Non-Motorised Transport Programme to make it more attractive for individuals to patronise cycling and walking as means to decongest the cities.

Dr Richard Anane, Roads and Transport Minister, who announced this on Monday said the programme, which started nearly a year ago with the construction of cycle and walk-ways have not achieved the desired impact. "Unfortunately, the cycle ways in Accra have not been effectively utilised to achieve the desired results because the cycle and walk-ways have been occupied by hawkers and recalcitrant drivers..." he said.

In a speech read for him at a four-day workshop on "Improved Accessibility and Dignified Public Space", Dr Anane said there was the need to intensify the education and awareness of the programme by disabusing the minds of people against the consideration that walking and cycling were not beneficial as opposed to driving.

The workshop, being organised by the Centre for Cycling Expertise, an NGO, in collaboration with the Transport Ministry is expected to come out with strategies that would reshape and revamp the project in terms of accessibility and mobility in the cities.

The Minister said government recognized the need to have an integrated traffic management approach and modes of transportation in the cities, adding, "In consideration of the optimum strategy, the use of non-motorized transport system is one of the appropriate measures".

He said that in view of the importance of the cycle ways, especially in the Tamale Municipal areas, the Department of Urban Roads was expanding the cycle network to the suburbs and other areas in the regions.

Dr Anane said in line with the programme, the Department have started a project dubbed: "Safe walk to School", that would enable the provision of pedestrians walkways to link cluster of schools to enhance mobility for children to commute safely to school.

Mr Solomon Ofei Darko, the Mayor of Accra, in a speech read for him said it was becoming increasingly difficult for people to commute safely and in a conducive manner within the metropolis because of the population increase and vehicular traffic jams.

"Traders are unable to move their wares from one market to another, workers unable to report to work on time and pupils and students unable to report to school early...the direct and indirect economic losses in these state of affairs are anyone guess," he said.

Mr Ofei-Darko said when majority of people resort to the use of bicycles from one place to another within shorter distances instead of vehicles, congestion would ease considerably.