CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the study

Traffic situation in Bamenda has been aggravated with the revolution of biking culture which has gripped the transportation with the Bamenda urban landscape. Mobility as complementary and competitive transport options between hawkers, cars, buses and pedestrians on narrow road. Within the city of Bamenda there appear to be only fewer areas of fluid mobility(cow street, Ghana street, up station and savannah street) as compared to more numerous areas of stuffed congestion circulation( food market street, Ngeng junction ,bobile Nwen to Amour mezam Express and mile 4 Nkwen,Commercial Avenue  and Ntarikon.

Traffic congestion is a condition in transport that is characterized by slower speeds ,longer trip times ,and increase vehicular queueing .Transport is regarded as an important factor involved in the transportation or movement of goods from point of origin to the point of destination. However, transportation brings development into the society base on the crucial role it plays.

Transportation peak traffic in Bamenda I refers to the time frame during the day ,typically in the morning rush hours (AM) Peak And Evening (PM-Peak)This cause by several factors like school rushed timework rush time  which has many consequences on the road user’s ,penetrants  ,the local population etc.

There are three types of routes in the rural areas which are; bush paths, surfaced rural roads and surfaced rural roads. The bush path is very common but the least developed of all the routes. Bush paths link villages with farmsteads and they are usually narrowed, winding and sometimes overgrown by weeds especially during the rainy season. This explained why road transports is the best mode of transportation used for the transportation of farm produce. Henry C. Wallace, one of the former Secretaries of Agriculture of the United States, had once remarked, that “Agriculture is our greatest industry, transportation our second greatest.  These two industries are dependent upon one another, and the national well-being is dependent on both”. This statement simply puts in perspective the remarkable impact that a reliable and efficient transport system has on agricultural marketing, which is, quite simply, taking agricultural products from the point of production to the point of demand. In a study carried by Filani (1993) in in Africa, it was discovered that where motorable roads exist they are mostly of unpaved surface, narrow width, circuitous alignment and with low quality bridges. In most cases, they are either clad with potholes or characterized by depressions and sagging. Such unsurfaced roads are hardly passable during the rainy season when vehicles get stuck in mud or when the improvised bridges of cut-free trunks get swept away by flood. In another study carried out by Ogunsanya (1988) on the relationship between transportation, underdevelopment and rurality, he observed that the greater the degree of rurality, the lower the level of transport development. Aderamo and Magaji (2010) noted that transportation constitutes the main avenue through which different parts of the society are linked together that is ,the developed countries(USA,Germany, Italy, France, Japan,Canada and Russia ), less developed or developing countries(Nigeria, Tchad, Guinea-Bissau, Gambia,Cameroon, etc) as well as many urban and rural areas linked to each other. Jegede (1992) cited by Ajiboye and Afolayan (2009) noted that road transport is the most common and complex network. It covers a wide range, physically convenient, highly flexible and usually the most operationally suitable and readily available means of movement of goods and passenger traffic over short, medium and long distances.

According to Ajiboye (1994), availability of transport facilities is a critical investment factor that stimulates economic growth through increased accessibility. Paul et al. (2009) pointed out that the impacts of road infrastructure on agricultural output and productivity are particularly important in Sub-Saharan Africa for three reasons. First, the agricultural sector accounts for a large share of gross domestic product (GDP) in most Sub-Saharan countries (Paul et.al 2009). Second, poverty is concentrated in rural areas. Finally, the relatively low levels of road infrastructure and long average travel time’s result in high transaction costs for sales of agricultural inputs and outputs, and this limits agricultural productivity and growth. According to Mabogunje (1971), some of the variables that determine the level of development in a given environment are easy accessibility and mobility.

 1.6 Scope and delimitation of the study

1.2.1    Spatial

Bamenda, is the Regional headquarter of the North West Region, along the In Ngoketunjia division of the North West region Cameroon, most of the agricultural products like (maize, beans, rice, cassava, tomatoes, pepper) and so on are produced in the villages located in the hinterlands thereby making it difficult for vehicles to penetrate and as a result hindering the transportation of farm produce to the market and increase in cost of production. Differences in ecological factors such as climate, soil texture, topography and so on, causes some villages produce more or several types of agricultural produce than others. Taking cognizance of the fact that; the study covers the entire Ngoketunjia Division, as a result of dearth of time, socio-political crises and other factors, it would be difficult and almost impossible to visit all the villages of Ngoketunjia Division. Secondly majority of villagers not being willing to cooperate with researchers probably for fear of the unknown. Also the attendant cost involved if the whole towns and villages should be visited cannot be afforded by the researcher, coupled with the final year academic work, and recognizing that Ndop town is the greatest producer of the main staple food items (maize, cassava, rice, groundnut), the study therefore will be restricted and limited to the aforesaid zone on investigating the role of road transport network in the marketing of Agricultural products in Ndop central sub-division Cameroon.

1.2.2    Time s

This study was carried out from January 2023 to April 2023. However, the recommendations at the end of this study have no time bound as it can be used at any time for the improvement on the road network and traffic congestion situation in Bamenda.

1.2.3 Thematic

Peak traffic congestion is associated with some causes that affect the road users like drivers and passengers negatively.

When choosing the optimal mode of transport, passengers considered a few important aspects: The distance and the accessibility of the destination

Type of goods that are transported,  for instance, traffic congestion.  Road transport forms the most common and complex network as well.  It can transport wide-ranging products, is physically convenient and is highly flexible and usually the most operationally suitable and readily available means for the movement. Road transport has a vital role to play in the transport and marketing of agricultural goods from farm to market as well as to various urban communities.

Traffic congestion has let many passengers to tilt from taxi to bike within the city especially around food market.

1.3 Statement of the research problem

Bamenda  is an axis  of Cameroon economy ,road peak traffic congestion is a headache and a buring problem for the public and private intuitions, the inhabitants in general.the loss of time off road vechicles due to peak traffic congestion is determinaned based on  more or less estimated  quqque lengths.However the economic and environmental consequences remains largely unkown and is not probably not well documented ,so to speak.

An increasing world urban population implies an increased concentration and crowdedness of services and functions at rates higher than sustainable service provision. Cameroon like other developing countries is handicapped by an urban facility planning and implementation that is far from aligning with good planning principles and practices. This exhibits a dearth of know-how and technology in human agglomerations of deficient traffic flow foresight.

Traffic creates more problems than just commuting delays. Traffic congestion can cause compounding issues for delivery drivers and the supply chain, slowing the restocking of food and essentials to communities that don’t have many local sources. High congestion in Bamenda has call public concerned thus the realization of this research work on the traffic congestion causes and consequences is inevitable. This researcher being living in Bamenda and schooling at the university of Bamenda at Bamili has suffers a lot from this issue of traffic congestion, sometimes to the extent of missing an exam due to traffic. Thus I think this research finding will assist many students and the local inhabits to be aware of the causes of traffic congestion and possible solutions.

Traffic congestion problems are manifesting in many of the major urban centers in Cameroon. They are indeed becoming a menace to free flow of traffic in these cities especially along cross roads. Hospital Roundabout, City Chemist Roundabout, Mobile Nkwen , junctions were are look upon as major urban nodes in Bamenda which experience high levels of congestion. 

In Bamenda of the North West region of Cameroon, road constitute the most important infrastructure in the structural transportation of her products. Most of the roads which are essential for the evacuation of farm produce from the farm to the market place are often inaccessible all year round Even when roads are in a fair condition there is a problem of poor maintenance, lack of adequate execution capacity, lack of suitable materials and management problems. Besides, these aggravate the situation of traffic congestion.

1.4 Research questions

1.4.1 Main research question

What are the causes and consequences peak traffic congestion in Bamenda?

• Specific research questions

2. What are the primary causes of peak Traffic Congestion in Bamenda?
3. What are the economic and environmental consequence of traffic congestion in Bamenda ?
4. What can be done to alleviate traffic congestion in Bamenda in Bamneda.

1.5 Objective of the study

1.5.1 Main research objective

To examine the Peak Traffic congestion causes and consequences in Bamenda.

1.5.2 Specific research objectives

1. To identify the primary causes of peak Traffic congestion in Bamenda
2. To evaluate the economic and environmental consequence of Traffic congestion in Bamenda.
3. To analyze the social consequence of traffic congestion in Bamenda.
4. Developed recommendations to alleviate traffic congestion in Bamenda.