A SAFE PEDESTRIAN ENVIRONMENT

13 FEBRUARY 2001

REMARKS BY MINISTER OF TRANSPORT, DULLAH OMAR AT THE LAUNCH OF THE NATIONAL PEDESTRIAN CAMPAIGN

IT IS WITH GREAT HONOUR FOR ME TO BE HERE TODAY IN THE COMPANY OF MY PROVINCIAL COLLEAGUES RESPONSIBLE FOR TRANSPORT TO CELEBRATE THE OFFICIAL LAUNCH OF THE PEDESTRIAN CAMPAIGN. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENT, NOT ONLY FOR THE COMMUNITY OF MPUMALANGA BUT ALSO FOR THE WHOLE COUNTRY.

TODAY MUST BE SEEN AS PART OF OUR COLLECTIVE EFFORT TOWARDS THE CREATION OF A SAFE AND BETTER PEDESTRIAN ENVIRONMENT WHICH IS RECEPTIVE TO THE NEEDS OF ALL OUR PEOPLE. THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT OCCASIONS ON ROAD SAFETY THAT WE HAVE EVER HELD. WE KNOW THAT EVERY YEAR, DEPENDING ON THE AREA OF OUR COUNTRY, BETWEEN 35 AND 50 % OF ALL ROAD DEATHS ARE PEDESTRIANS.

WE HAVE AGREED THAT THIS IS A TRAGIC AND UNNECESSARY WASTE OF LIFE. BUT MUCH MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE HAVE REALISED THAT THERE IS A GREAT DEAL THAT WE CAN DO ABOUT IT, RIGHT NOW - AND THAT THIS IS AN AREA OF ACTION WHERE WE CAN ACHIEVE VERY SIGNIFICANT SUCCESSES IN A VERY SHORT SPACE OF TIME.

IN FACT WE HAVE ALREADY BEGUN TO SEE JUST HOW SUCCESSFUL WE CAN BE IF WE ADOPT THE RIGHT APPROACH. JUST TO QUOTE ONE SIMPLE STATISTIC FROM THE WINELANDS REGION OF THE WESTERN CAPE WHERE I VISITED LAST DECEMBER: IN THE SPACE OF ONE YEAR - FROM 1998/99 TO 99/2000 - WE SAW PEDESTRIAN COLLISIONS REDUCED BY 41% AND PEDESTRIAN DEATHS DROP BY AN INCREDIBLE 82%. I'M SURE THAT OTHER PROVINCES COULD QUOTE SIMILAR STATISTICS.

BUT THIS IS STILL A DROP IN THE OCEAN. WE NEED TO PUT IN PLACE BEST PRACTICE ACROSS OUR WHOLE COUNTRY. WE HAVE MADE A START WITH THE ARRIVE ALIVE BUSINESS PLAN FOR 2000-2001, WHICH INSTRUCTS ALL PROVINCES TO IDENTIFY A MINIMUM OF 10 HAZARDOUS LOCATIONS OR ROAD STRETCHES AND CARRY OUT MULTI-DISCIPLINARY REMEDIAL ACTIONS. BUT THIS IS ONLY THE FIRST FOUNDATION. THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE HAZARDOUS LOCATIONS IN OUR COUNTRY REMAIN UNTOUCHED. SO WE HAVE A HUGE TASK ON OUR HANDS. BUT THE IMPORTANT POINT THAT I WANT TO STRESS IS THAT WE ALREADY KNOW WE CAN MAKE A BIG IMPACT. SO WE MUST DO SO.

TODAY I WANT TO SHARE MY EXCITEMENT WITH YOU. I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT I AM TOTALLY COMMITTED TO THIS NATIONWIDE DRIVE FOR PEDESTRIAN SAFETY. I HAVE DEFINED IT AS A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF OUR NEW NATIONAL ROAD SAFETY STRATEGY.

I ALSO WANT TO TELL YOU THAT I EXPECT TO SEE POSITIVE RESULTS COMING IN FROM EVERY PROVINCE AND LOCAL AUTHORITY JURISDICTION IN OUR COUNTRY. IF WE KNOW WE CAN SUCCEED THEN WE HAVE NO EXCUSE FOR NOT DELIVERING.

I SAID JUST NOW THAT SUCCESS DEPENDS ON ADOPTING THE RIGHT APPROACH. I DON'T THINK I HAVE TO LECTURE TO MOST OF YOU ABOUT WHAT THE RIGHT APPROACH IS. YOU HAVE BEEN HEAVILY INVOLVED FOR SOME TIME NOW IN DEFINING THIS APPROACH AND GETTING SOME OF THE KEY TOOLS WE NEED FOR IT IN PLACE. THESE INCLUDE THE NEW ROAD SAFETY, ROAD SIGNS AND PEDESTRIAN MANUALS. THESE GIVE US A VERY CLEAR AND STRUCTURED SET OF QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO UPGRADE OUR PEDESTRIAN ROAD ENVIRONMENT AND MAKE IT AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE FOR ALL ROAD USERS.

BUT THE KEY ISSUE THAT I WANT TO STRESS TODAY IS COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP. THIS MEANS GETTING THE ACTIVE SUPPORT OF LOCAL COMMUNITIES FROM DAY ONE OF ANY PEDESTRIAN UPGRADE PROGRAMME. IT MEANS INVOLVING THEM IN EVERY STEP OF THE PROCESS. IT MEANS LISTENING TO THEM. IT MEANS GETTING THEIR OWNERSHIP OF THE CHANGES TO THEIR LOCAL ROAD ENVIRONMENT.

THEY WILL ONLY BECOME OWNERS OF THE PROCESS IF THEY HAVE BEEN FULL PARTICIPANTS IN IT. THEY WILL ONLY SUSTAIN IT IF THEY FEEL THAT IT BELONGS TO THEM. THEY WILL ONLY COMMIT THEMSELVES TO IT IF THEY SEE THAT THEY ARE NO LONGER NEEDLESSLY LOSING THEIR CHILDREN.

EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM KNOWS ABOUT THE "THREE ES": EDUCATION, ENGINEERING, AND ENFORCEMENT. THE KEY THING IS HOW TO BRING THESE THREE ELEMENTS TOGETHER IN THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY POSSIBLE. AND TO RECOGNISE THAT THE ELEMENT OF EDUCATION SHOULD NOT BE HANDLED IN A TOP-DOWN WAY. AS PROFESSIONALS IN ROAD TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT YOU MAY HAVE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS THAT THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES DON'T HAVE. BUT THEY ARE THE ONES WHO KNOW THEIR LOCAL CONDITIONS; THEY ARE THE ONES WHO ARE LOSING LIVES. WE DO NOT PATRONISE THEM. WE DO NOT PREACH TO THEM.

WHAT WE DO IS TO DEVELOP AN ACTIVE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE THREE SPHERES OF GOVERNMENT THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND PRIVATE SECTOR. THE PROVINCES, METROS AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES MUST PARTNER WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND PRIVATE SECTOR IN MOBILIZING RESOURCES FOR THIS PURPOSE. THESE WOULD INCLUDE PRODUCTS TO PROMOTE PEDESTRIAN VISIBILITY, THE INVOLVEMENT OF COMMUNITY RADIO STATIONS, THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE PRINTED AND ELECTRONIC MEDIA, AND THE STRUCTURED PARTICIPATION OF THE COMMUNITY THROUGH ROAD SAFETY FORUMS, PARENT/TEACHER ORGANISATIONS, COMPETITIONS, AND SO ON.

THERE ARE A NUMBER OF CLEAR STEPS THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN WITH THE LAUNCH OF EACH AND EVERY PEDESTRIAN UPGRADE PROJECT:

• FROM THE BEGINNING, IDENTIFY COMMUNITY LEADERS AND INVOLVE LOCAL MAYORS IN THE IDENTIFICATION OF HAZARDOUS LOCATIONS OR ROAD STRETCHES AND BRING THEM INTO THE PLANNING PROCESS. ENCOURAGE THE MAYORS TO TAKE PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR EACH PROJECT'S DEVPMENT.
• ORGANISE HIGH PROFILE EXPOSURE FOR THE PROJECTS IN THE LOCAL MEDIA, PARTICULARLY LOCAL AND COMMUNITY RADIO STATIONS. GET THE MAYOR ONTO POPULAR TALK SHOWS EVERY COUPLE OF WEEKS TO PUBLICISE THE WORK AND GIVE PROGRESS REPORTS.
• GET LOCAL SCHOOL HEAD TEACHERS ON BOARD. SENSITISE THEM TO THE KEY PEDESTRIAN SAFETY ISSUES AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO TAKE THE LEAD IN MOBILISING THEIR SCHOLARS.
• AS WELL AS BEING THE VICTIMS IN MANY AVOIDABLE COLLISIONS, SCHOOL CHILDREN ARE A VITAL FACTOR IN THE WHOLE PROCESS. THEY CAN TAKE DIRECT ACTION TO MAKE THEIR OWN LIVES SAFER, AND THEY ARE THE VITAL LINK, THROUGH THEIR PARENTS, TO THE WIDER COMMUNITY.
• GET SCHOOLS TO ORGANISE PROJECTS FOR THEIR STUDENTS LIKE IDENTIFYING BOTH POTENTIAL CONFLICT POINTS BETWEEN PEDESTRIANS, CARS AND BICYCLES AND SAFEST ROUTES TO SCHOOL AND OVER MAJOR CROSSING POINTS. FEED THIS INFORMATION BACK INTO THE PLANNING AND DELIY PROCESSES. DEVELOP ACTIVE SCHOLAR PATROLS IN EVERY SCHOOL AND PUSH TOWARDS THE WEARING OF REFLECTIVE ARMBANDS BY ALL SCHOOLCHILDREN. WHERE THERE ARE MAJOR SUCCESS STORIES ON CREATIVE PROJECTS CARRIED OUT BY SCHOOL CHILDREN, GET THEM ONTO COMMUNITY RADIO TOO.
• ENSURE THAT PEDESTRIAN SAFETY PROGRAMMES REALLY DO DEVELOP A MULTI-DISCIPLINARY APPROACH. THIS MEANS ENSURING THAT ALL THE KEY PLAYERS ARE FULLY INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS. IT'S NO GOOD IF A PROVINCIAL OR LOCAL AUTHORITY WORKS DEPARTMENT GOES OFF ON ITS OAND SIMPLY INTRODUCES A REDUCED SPEED LIMIT ON A PARTICULAR STRETCH OF ROAD, WITHOUT CONSULTATION ON THE POSSIBLE INTRODUCTION OF TRAFFIC CALMING MEASURES, ADDITIONAL SIGNAGE, PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS, PEDESTRIAN FOOTPATHS AND SO ON. IT'S NO GOOD IF OVER A PERIOD OF A YEAR OR TWO SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS IN COLLISIONS AND DEATHS ARE ACHIEVED BUT WE DON'T HAVE RELIABLE ONGOING STATISTICS TO PUBLICISE. SO THE SAPS MUST BE FULLY INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS AND MUST MAKE A COMMITMENT TO SUPPLYING ACCURATE COLLISION STATISTICS ON A REGULAR BASIS. THE MORE ACCURATE GOOD NEWS THERE IS TO MAKE PUBLIC, THE MORE WE BUILD EXCITEMENT AND DEEPEN COMMUNITY SUPPORT.
• OF COURSE IN ALL THE MATTERS THERE ARE BUDGET CONSTRAINTS TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT. BUT THESE SHOULD BE LOOKED AT IN ADVANCE, AS PART OF THE ANNUAL BUDGETARY PLANNING CYCLE, GUIDED BY A CLEAR MEDIUM TERM PROGRAMME OF ACTION THAT INTEGRATES ALL THE KEY E-PLAYERS.

ON THE 13TH OF FEBRUARY WE WILL BE LAUNCHING NATIONAL PEDESTRIAN MONTH. BY THIS DATE - WHICH IS JUST ROUND THE CORNER - I AM EXPECTING THAT ALL THE PROVINCES, AND THEIR METROPOLITAN AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES, WILL HAVE FINALISED THEIR ACTION PLANS TO ADDRESS THE 10 MOST HAZARDOUS PEDESTRIAN LOCATIONS IN EACH PROVINCE. AT THE LAUNCH OF PEDESTRIAN MONTH I WILL WANT TO POINT THESE SITES OUT TO THE MEDIA, AND TO GIVE DETAILS ON THE SHORT-TERM MEASURES THAT ARE GOING TO BE IMPLEMENTED - OR ARE ALREADY BEING IMPLEMENTED - BY THE ROAD AUTHORITIES AT THESE SITES.

EACH PROVINCE MUST DO A COSTING OF THE SAFETY COUNTERMEASURES THEY INTEND TO IMPLEMENT AT EACH OF THE TEN SITES. I HAVE INSTRUCTED MY TECHNICAL ADVISER TO APPROACH TREASURY WITH A VIEW TO OBTAINING ADDITIONAL DEDICATED FUNDING FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE 90 MOST HAZARDOUS PEDESTRIAN LOCATIONS NATIONWIDE. IF ADEQUATE FUNDING CANNOT BE OBTAINED FOR ALL 90 SITES, EACH PROVINCE WILL HAVE TO IDENTIFY THE SITES THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO TREAT AS TOP PRIORITY.

AS YOU KNOW FROM YOUR ATTENDANCE AT THIS WORKSHOP, MY DEPARTMENT AND THE CSIR HAVE ENTERED INTO A JOINT VENTURE TO ASSIST THE PROVINCES, METROS AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES TO FINALISE THEIR PEDESTRIAN ACTION PLANS AND TO MONITOR AND EVALUATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE SHORT-TERM PEDESTRIAN CAMPAIGN. AN AMOUNT OF R60 000 PER PROVINCE HAS BEEN ALLOCATED FROM ARRIVE ALIVE FUNDING TO THE JOINT VENTURE PROJECT BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENT AND THE CSIR. I TRUST THAT THEY WILL GIVE YOU ALL THE SUPPORT YOU NEED AND THAT THE RESULTS THAT START TO EMERGE WILL GIVE ALL OF US GREAT SATISFACTION.

IT'S OVER TO YOU NOW. I HOPE YOU WILL GO AWAY FROM THIS WORKSHOP WITH RENEWED ENERGY, EXCITEMENT AND DETERMINATION TO ENSURE THAT WE START MAKING REALLY DEEP CUTS INTO THE RATE OF PEDESTRIAN DEATHS ON OUR ROADS. WE KNOW WE CAN DO IT.

I THANK YOU.