Urban Transport in the OIC Megacities
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management of the replacement scheme which has so far been funded by the World Bank, a
concessionary agreement with China and a local bank. The number of the cars rapids that have been
replaced is 1307 and the scheme is expected to be completed by 2018. However, the fact that both old
and new cars are now in circulation, along with the delays in reimbursements have an impact on the
affordability and efficiency of services.
The vast potential for Dakar to improve was stressed in all our meetings. The Government has an
ambitious plan in place that will help Senegal become an emerging country by 2035. As part of this
plan, two major schemes for the city are proposed. A new BRT system and an Express Regional Train
(TER) linking the centre of Dakar to the suburbs located along the Cap Vert peninsula. These newmass
transit projects are expected to relieve the congested street of Dakar, and particularly those of the
Plateau, and meet the future demand which is expected to grow due to the high share of young and
economically active people in the city, and the expected economic growth. The studies for both the
BRT and the TER have progressed and the Government is now looking for investors to fund the
projects under PPP agreements. A BRT pilot line is expected to be completed by 2017.
In terms urban and land use planning, the 2035 Urban Plan for Dakar is based on the most recent
Transport Masterplan for Dakar (PDUD 2025) in order to achieve a balance in urban development.
The 2035 Urban Plan will try to improve the land use mix in the city and the suburbs and will introduce
two additional poles of urban activity, in order to remove some administrative and social services
from the Plateau. The new poles will be connected by the two BRT lines and the TER as well as by
improved road infrastructure. The 2035 Urban Plan for Dakar is developed by the Ministry of Urban
Renewal, Housing and Living Environment in collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation
Agency (JICA), which has permanent representatives in the city.
Other key issues mentioned in the interviews include road safety, accessibility, freight and logistics,
and he condition of vehicles. Road safety is area that has seen significant improvement since the early
2000s. However, the rates accidents and fatalities are still high and almost 50% of accidents and 30%
of the country’s road fatalities are concentrated in Dakar. The Government has adopted a National
Road Safety Strategy which has nine areas of action. The actions of NPR, an NGO focused on raising
awareness on road safety, are also contributing to the reduction of road accidents and fatalities.
The components of accessibility that were most commonly mentioned in the meetings were economic
and geographical accessibility. Walking and public transport account for almost 50% of the modal
share in the city, as most people cannot afford private vehicles. Concessions and improved fare
regulation are currently being examined in order to improve economic accessibility. The geographical
coverage of the road was also mentioned as a major obstacle to accessibility, both in urban and rural
areas. Physical accessibility was most commonly mentioned in terms of access to public transport
vehicles. The lack of appropriate infrastructure for people with disabilities such as ramps, the poor
management of access to pedestrian areas and the lack of maintenance were only mentioned once as
factors limiting accessibility.
The activity of the port is managed the Dakar Port Authority (Port Autonome de Dakar - PAD). CETUD
is responsible for the logistics in the city. Although the PDUD makes reference to logistics operations,
there is still very limitedmanagement of activities in the urban area. The freight movement to Bamako
is a very important to the economies of both Bamako and Mali and therefore the Ministry is trying to
facilitate the transfer of goods between the two cities. Today, 90%of the goods are transferred by road
and 10% by the Dakar-Bamako rail line. There are plans for both rail and highway links t o Bamako to
be improved as currently there are almost 200 trucks passing through the city carrying to goods to
Bamako and the rail connection is old and inefficient.
Another key area of action for CETUD and the Ministry of Infrastructure, Land Transport and Opening-
Up is to renew the fleet of both private and public transport vehicles in the city. In 2013, more than
25% of the vehicles circulating in the country were between 26 and 35 years old. The Ministry is
currently seeking funding to introduce a digitised driving licence system which will also include