A master plan for non-motorised transport in the City of Kigali is being developed and will be complete by June next year, The New Times has learnt.

Non-motorised transportation, also known as active transportation and human-powered transportation, includes walking and bicycling, and variants such as small-wheeled transport (skates, skateboards, push scooters, and hand carts) and wheelchair travel.

The new development is announced amid complaints about the lack of cycle lanes along major roads, including new ones in the capital.

Developing a pedestrian and cycling network is part of efforts to reduce air pollution from the transport sector and improve road safety.

Road transport accounts for 13 per cent of total greenhouse gas emissions in Rwanda and this is expected to continue to rise, according to environmentalists.

Developing efficient and resilient transport systems is one of 14 programmes of action under the Green Growth and Climate Resilience Strategy (GGCRS).

The strategy is keen on positioning Rwanda as a developed, climate-resilient, and low-carbon economy by 2050.

According to the Rwanda Environment Management Authority, low-carbon climate-resilient transport and energy systems require $6,875 million from public sector funding and $ 3,400 million in private sector investment by 2050 as a long-term transition.

François Zirikana, a specialist in charge of green transport in Kigali city, said that non-motorised transport offers basic mobility, affordable transport, access to public transport and health benefits.

Improving the convenience, comfort and safety of walking and cycling reduces the demand for travel by personal motor vehicles, helping to alleviate critical traffic challenges facing the city, he said.

However, city authorities say that challenging topography and financial difficulties have delayed plans to have cycling lanes on major and new roads.

Kigali Infrastructure Project (KIP) plans to build a 215-kilometre road network and several bridges by 2024 but there are no clear plans to have cycle lanes due to the high cost of expropriation.

Over 2,009 households might be expropriated to pave way for construction activities, city officials said.

"Using non-motorised transport such as pedestrians and cycle lanes reduces cost on public transport and air pollution. Some roads have this mode of transport but many roads do not have cycle lanes. That is why we are developing a non-motorised transport master plan in Kigali city which will be complete by June next year,” he said.

The master plan is being developed in partnership with Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) ‑ a non-government non-profit organisation that focuses on developing bus rapid transit systems, biking, walking, and non-motorised transport, and said that the transport system should ensure accessibility to jobs among other services.

"The master plan will tell us which roads and areas should have pedestrian and cycle lanes and establish an implementation plan. We can also have cycle lanes in recreational wetlands,” he said.

He said that parking for bikes has been established across the capital to promote non-motorised transport.

"The bikes’ parkings are available in Kimironko, Biryogo, Nyabugogo among many other areas in the city. There are plans to have bike lanes on every new road. However, lack of road spaces prevents this move on some new roads,” he said.

Car-free zones as a mode of non-motorised transport

Zirikana said that currently, non-motorised transport is being implemented in only three car free zones, adding that the City plans to develop more car free zones.

"There are areas such as Masaka and others which should have car free zones but do not. We need to increase car free zones,” he said.

The available car free zones include the city centre car free zone dubbed "Imbuga City Walk,” Biryogo car free zone as well as Gisimenti car free zone (during weekends).

The City of Kigali has announced that it will invest Rwf600 million under the 2022/23 fiscal year, in extending Imbuga City Walk, Kigali’s major car free zone and recreational space.

Over Rwf600 million is going to help extend Imbuga City Walk up to University Teaching Hospital (CHUK).

"Cities should plan for the city by encouraging people to reduce the use of private cars. For the bus rapid transit system to be possible, it requires political will,” said Maureen Kinyua, an urban planning manager working with the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy, which is supporting Kigali City to have a non-motorised transport master plan.

She said that they are working with the City of Kigali to improve the public transport system as well as non-motorised transport.