Transport and Environment - Science Technology (TEST) Network

Challenge
Transport has become a dominant sector in Africa with issues of road safety, traffic congestion, urban air pollution, road maintenance, accessibility and mobility problems being key challenges for the 2lst century. Rural to urban migration has contributed to a rapid expansion of cities, increasing levels of poverty and the proliferation of slums. These factors have resulted in a widening gap between urban transport supply and demand. There has been a rise in the number of motor vehicles, which has resulted in traffic congestion, air and noise pollution and death and injury due to road accidents. Inadequate public transport and limited shared road space for pedestrians have contributed to a poor quality of life for the most vulnerable in African society. In terms of transportation technology and policy, Africa lags behind developed countries.

Focus
The project will strengthen the scientific and technological capacity of stakeholders involved in transport to support the formulation and implementation of sustainable transport policies, which contribute to poverty reduction and economic development in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The multi-stakeholder TEST Network for knowledge-sharing related to road congestion, air pollution (including greenhouse gases and noise) and road safety in six SSA countries will:
 - Strengthen networking between EU and SSA partners and stakeholders.
 - Share knowledge.
 - Enhance research capacity.
 - Communicate and disseminate research results and knowledge collected.

Rationale
The challenge for Africa is to address continuously growing transport (energy) demand, without hampering growth in mobility. Potential solutions can be found by examining past and present EU responses. Can lessons be learnt from the transport policy of the EU and, if so, how likely is it that these lessons can be implemented and used in developing transport policy in Africa?

Transport policies, awareness and problem solving are of critical importance to the delivery of sustainable cities, healthy citizens, development and poverty eradication in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). High quality transport systems that respect the interests and aspirations of the poor, women, children undergoing education and those needing access to health care is a catalyst for the achievement of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and for the creation and promotion of a quality of life for all sections of the community. Transport is vital for trade, commerce, business, new firm formation and the widespread dissemination of entrepreneurial opportunities and participation in the labour force. However, it has to be designed and managed in ways that are democratic and beneficial to everyone.

The TEST Network will mobilise a high level of co-operative effort between stakeholders involved in transport through network activities to focus scientific and technological research in transport, stimulate debate, awareness, co-operation and problem solving which can contribute to the achievement of MDGs.

Method
Development of a quality-assured web-based knowledge database collating information on research capacities, networks and activities, best practice and research needs and technology needs related to traffic congestion, air pollution (including greenhouse gases and noise) and road safety.

Capacity enhancement in stakeholder communities, such as staff from governmental agencies, for research related to traffic congestion, air pollution (including greenhouse gases and noise) and road safety:
 - Short-term training programme based on needs to increase capacity of stakeholder communities to prepare and submit proposals for research related to transport.
 - Media training to communicate the results of the research to different stakeholders.

Communication and dissemination of the knowledge incorporated in the network to policy makers and other relevant stakeholders
 - Development of biannual online newsletters to outline the main developments in transport issues as well as policy briefs.
 -  A series of debates/dialogues between stakeholders involved in transport on key issues identified, targeted at policy makers, academia, civil society and industry. A strong link to policy development will also maximise the chances of implementation of the results of the project and the societal benefits that would follow.

Outputs

  • Reports for each of the six SSA countries on:

 - ‘research capacity on science and technology (S&T)’ and on ‘research activities, actions, projects and best practice’ in transport issues such as road safety, traffic flow management and transport-related air pollution targeted at the stakeholder community;
 - ‘research needs’ in transport from a stakeholder meeting.

  • Report on research technology and innovation needs in transport in the six SSA countries.
  • Report on best practices in sustainable transport in SSA and internationally.
  • Report on the indicators to evaluate the quality and efficiency of S&T programmes and the peer review and evaluation procedure for S&T results obtained in studies on road safety, traffic flow management and transport-related air pollution.
  • A searchable web-based database of current S&T knowledge on road safety, air pollution and transport flow management.
  • Biannual newsletters.
  • Report of the peer review and evaluation procedure on the evaluation of regional and national S&T programmes.
  • S&T policy dialogue and reports on its results.
  • Website for communication and dissemination of network results.
  • Published policy briefs on key issues relating to road safety, air pollution and traffic flow management.
  • A series of seminars and debates on key issues identified, targeted at policy makers, academia, civil society and industry.
  • Scientific and technological knowledge base on transport in relation to road safety, air pollution and traffic flow management.
  • A TEST Network that is expandable to other stakeholders in the transport field and replicable in other African countries.

Outcomes

  • Increased knowledge-sharing between network partners and inter-disciplinary understanding of the transport S&T research issues.
  • Strengthened networking between the EU and SSA partners and stakeholders.
  • Increased capacity to assess research needs, to facilitate and formulate the implementation of research policies, and to better capitalise and disseminate research results.
  • Increased capacity of stakeholder communities in the six SSA countries to prepare and submit proposals for research related to transport, road safety, air pollution, and traffic flow management.
  • Better status of information of current research and best practice in different fields related to transport.
  • Strengthened ability of stakeholders in the six SSA countries involved in transport to develop effective partnerships to exploit science and technological research opportunities.
  • Improved technical and management capacities of local partners in the six SSA countries to strengthen networks of key stakeholders involved in transport in each country.
  • Consolidation of existing collaboration between key national stakeholders involved in transport and building of new partnerships among additional stakeholders.
  • Enhanced capacity in S&T for transport issues and improved quality assurance of the knowledge database entries.
Grant: FED/2009/217068
Project duration: 36 months (from 10/11/2009 to 09/11/2012)
EC funding: EUR 627,471.33
Total budget: EUR 738,201.56
Project contact:

Dr. Dieter Schwela
University of York- Stockholm Environment Institute (UoY-SEI)
Heslington Hall
York YO10 5 DD
United Kingdom
Tel: +44-1904-430.000
Fax: +44-1904-433.433
E-mail: Dieter.schwela [at] sei.se
Web: http://www.york.ac.uk/sei/

TEST
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FED-2009-217068.pdf