Government is getting some expert assistance to help it modernise and transform the public transport sector.
This includes a focus on improved traffic management, the facilitation of active mobility like cycling and measures to reduce traffic congestion, which will be the focus of the Support For Barbados Mobility Programme for the Ministry of Transport and Works (MTW) over the next three years.
The technical cooperation project was approved by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) on September 11 and is being executed by that institution with $1 million in grant funding from the Green Climate Fund.
An IDB project document states that the direct beneficiaries of the technical cooperation will be MTW, the Transport Board and the future Mass Transit Authority (MTA), which will receive a range of benefits, including technical assistance, studies, training and institutional support to strengthen urban transport planning, traffic management, public transport governance, among other outputs.
The IDB added that the ultimate beneficiaries “will be public transport users, pedestrians, cyclists, school communities, commuters, women, older adults, persons with disabilities, low-income users and visitors who will benefit from safer, more reliable, accessible, resilient and inclusive mobility services and infrastructure”.
“The technical cooperation will contribute to more efficient, inclusive, sustainable and resilient mobility by supporting improved traffic management; public transport planning, investment and institutional capacity; and walkability and active mobility infrastructure,” the Bank stated.
“These interventions will enhance access to jobs and services, reduce congestion and transportrelated emissions and strengthen the resilience of critical transport systems – key priorities as Barbados advances sustainable growth and adapts to climate-related and external shocks.”
As detailed in the project document, the programme has several components. The first one, with a cost of $500 000, is to improve urban transport infrastructure. The funding will finance pre-investment and engineering studies aimed at improving mobility.
Transport vulnerability
The focus is on “pedestrianisation and complete streets with universal accessibility and mobility of care considerations; multi-modal transport hubs to integrate transit, active mobility, and last mile connections with gender-responsive infrastructure, universal accessibility and mobility of care criteria; resilience measures to reduce the transport vulnerability to climate-related risks; and lanes for high-capacity vehicles and transit, as well as segregated bike lanes; and geometric and operational redesign of critical roundabouts and junctions with active mobility and universal accessibility focus”.
The pre-investment work will include traffic and demand analysis, geometric design, cost estimates and climate vulnerability assessments of priority corridors, junctions and public transport infrastructure to inform the design and prioritisation of complementary resilient interventions, the project document outlined.
“The studies will identify opportunities to improve accessibility, safety, connectivity and equitable access to transport services, while promoting greater use of active and sustainable transport modes, and strengthening the resilience and inclusiveness of the urban transport network.”
Costing $160 000, Component 2 is to improve traffic management and decongestion policies.
“It finances pre-investment technical and engineering studies for the establishment of a centralised Traffic Management Centre; engineering and systems design needed to expand adaptive traffic signal control to up to 50 intersections, as well as the integration of traffic cameras and sensors; pre-investment and detailed engineering to implement complementary demand management interventions, including reversible lanes, parkand-ride facilities, and improved school transport arrangements,” the IDB said.
This segment will support the preparation of technical, engineering and operational studies required to design and implement intelligent traffic management and transport demand management measures.
The third component, for $300 000, is to support implementation of the MTA by financing “training, technical assistance, and knowledge transfer to strengthen MTA governance and regulatory sustainability; identification of institutional and regulatory gaps; development of an investment programme and action plan; modernisation of routes, schedules, contracts and key performance indicators; performance management and multimodal integration; assessment of private sector participation, including electric bus charging; [and] preparation of a gender and diversity action plan”.
The fourth and final component of the programme is $40 000 to “support the documentation and dissemination of key lessons to facilitate learning and effective change management amongst the public”.
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