ABSTRACT

The purpose of the study was to investigate how urban growth impact urban transportation problems in Bamenda town. The study was guided by three specific objective, which were; to examine the aspects of urban growth that affects urban transportation in Bamenda Town, to describe the effects of urban Transportation problems on economic development in Bamenda town and to identify the possible solutions to the urban transportation problems in Bamenda Town. The study adopted the descriptive research design and made use of both qualitative and quantitative research methods. A represented sample size of 30 respondents was used. Data was collected through questionnaires and analyzed using SPSS software. The results were presented in tables and charts and conclusions and recommendations were made. The study found that, public transport crowding, parking difficulties and traffic congestion are some of the problems of urban transportation resulting from urban growth. Also, pollution related health conditions, poor nutrition and poor sanitation and housing conditions are some of the problems of urban growth affecting the population of Bamenda town and finally, development of additional road capacity, Optimize traffic light management and enforce existing road traffic laws are some of the measures that can be used to solve urban transportation problems in Bamenda town. The study recommend that, the government should consider regular maintenance of the available road infrastructures, the government should also ensure the strict implementation of road safety measures to ensure that the available road infrastructure is not over or underused and channelizing devices or traffic control devices should be installed especially as the junctions to aid flow as traffic wardens judgment is inaccurate.

CHAPTER ONE

 GENERAL INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Transportation is an aspect that is concern with mobility, particularly how this mobility is taking place in the content of a wide variety of conditions. Mobility is a geographical endeavor since it trades space for a cost. The purpose for transportation is to overcome space, which is shape by a variety of human and physical constraints such as distance, time, administrative decisions and topography (Jean et al, 2006). In the space of just a few decades, urban areas across the world, in both developed and developing countries have become increasingly automobile-dominated and less sustainable. In the developing countries in particular, cities have experienced a rapid growth in transport-related challenges, including pollution, congestion, accidents, public transport decline, environmental degradation, climate change, energy depletion, visual intrusion, and lack of accessibility for the urban poor.

In the more developed countries, particularly in Northern Europe, some cities have witnessed a trend of reclaiming urban space from the automobile and prohibiting cars from major parts of downtown areas and confining them in other ways. Today, these places are often considered as leading examples of sustainable urban development, as cities across the world strive to meet urban sustainability standards by improving public transport, encouraging non-motorized modes, creating pedestrian zones, limiting the use of private cars, and otherwise trying to undo the transformation of cities caused by automobile dominance.

Concepts of automobile restraint that were unthinkable just a few decades ago are now being considered or even adopted in many urban areas around the globe, both north and south, with the encouragement and support of major international organizations (Dorina and Dominic, 2015). Increasing value of time in modern society has brought high-speed railway and air transport to the forefront of today’s inter-urban transport. Japan for example, with the advent of Shinkasen in 1964, has high-speed railways in inter-city travel. This was follow by other European countries; South Korea and USA who also introduced high speed inter urban transport (Katsuhiro and Kiyoshi, 2009).

Historically two of the threads of the spatial planning suite namely land use and transportation planning have been perceived as two complementary but separate disciplines. Similarly economic planning has also lacked integration with the spatial and social issues that influence and impact upon it. Generally, land use planning has been perceived as a fuzzy discipline being aligned with the social sciences and architecture where urban design issues were addressed. In contrast, transportation planners were considered as part of the engineering component of the built environment sector. It is therefore not surprising that the policy and legislation related to the two sectors run in parallel but often took very little direction from or consideration of each other’s needs or requirements. Although there was, recognition during the 1980’s that there was a need for better integration between transportation and land use/ spatial planning the two remained largely separated until the late 1990’s when the notion of an integrated development planning system and the IDPs were introduced in terms of the Municipal Systems Act (Act No. 32 of 2000). The introduction of integrated development planning as an approach was also indicative of a realization that issues of sustainability were coming to the fore in terms of new planning debates in the post Apartheid South Africa’ (PPDC, 2007; 60)

The system of public transport provision in South African cities has been a product, as well as instruments of Apartheid’ (Behrens et al, in Harrison et al, 2003; 160) South African landscapes were meaningfully created through spaces of great distance, inequality and division as discussed in the South African Planning Context. Access to non-urban areas was regulated and restricted, and in most cases, admission was limited to a single entry and exit point. As a result, the public transport services in South Africa were primarily developed to link these peripheral townships with the more central economic centers. The working class were usually located a substantial distance from employment opportunities. As a direct consequence of this policy, transport subsidies from the South Africa government became imperative. The states rationale for subsidising public transport were twofold; firstly to ensure the mobility of the labour force in the national economy, and secondly, subsidies were put in place to compensate township residents for the government’s resettlement policy (Behrens et al (2003), Clark (2000) and Naudé et al (1994) in Harrison et al, 2003).

Despite the rapid decline in bus and rail passengers using the services provided, there has been a rapid increase in the subsidy costs. The proportion of public transportation passengers benefiting from the government transport subsidies have therefore decreased. In turn, this has resulted in both the train and bus operators consequently either withdrawing uneconomic services, or the reduction to the frequency of the service on particular routes. These changes were made in an effort to reduce the overall transportation costs. The existing public transport system appears to be meeting the basic travel needs of a large portion of the urban population. This system however, is neither equitable nor financially sustainable. Due to the change in commuter patterns and the progressive move away from the Apartheid era it became apparent that there was an urgent need for new transport policies; as a result the framework for urban passenger transport policy underwent significant change in the beginning of the new millennium. The key documents guiding this process have been identified as the White Paper on National Transport Policy, published by the National Department of Transport in September 1996; Moving South Africa Action Agenda: A 20-year Strategic Framework for Transportation in South Africa, produced by a Department of Transport project team in May 1999; and National Land Transportation Transition Act (Act No. 22 of 2000) approved by parliament in August and signed into effect by the President in December of 2000. These policies and statutes will now be considered in more detail.

Transportation system is an integral part of a modern day society, designed to provide efficient and economical movement between the component parts of a country and offer maximum possible mobility to all citizens (Leshem and Ritov, 2007). Transport is so central to all economic activity  in moving raw materials to factories, labor to worksites, inputs and outputs along supply chains, consumers to services, and products to consumers (Andrew, Taner, Brian and Trevor 2015). Road transport is a catalyst of urban, rural and national development. It is a catalyst by facilitating the movements associated with urban and national development and providing the means by which goods and services are made available to industry and consumers, creating opportunities for social and economic interaction and employment. Without transport, access to these facilities would not be possible and the services they provide not consumable. Transport is what gives life to development (Gunnarson, 1998; Speathing 1999; Oni, 2001; Atubi, 2006). In the past few decades, African cities have been experiencing huge population increases. This is mainly due to fastest urbanization and rural exodus (International Association of Public Transport and African Association of Public Transport 2010). Such fast-growing cities face enormous challenges in terms of infrastructure provision and the need to cope with the increasing demand for transport. This is especially shortened as much of the existing road infrastructure in African cities is far from being appropriate for the actual transport demand.

Cameroon move into the ‘urban age’ is projected to be without precedent in its swiftness. While the country is developing, Cameroon urban population is expected to increase drastically in the coming years. As of now, the country has its ten fast growing regions. The growth in these regions is mostly seen in the transport sector. The urbanization of Cameroon during the 20^th and 21th century has led to the emergence of new towns and cities all over the country. This was also follow by increased in human activities, the dominant being agriculture, follow by commercial and tertiary activities. All these activities in the different towns and cities in Cameroon have great need for transportation for their operation.

The town of Bamenda is one of the largest city in Cameroon. Around 1899, it emerges as the largest urban area in the western highlands of Cameroon. This was continuously followed by an increase in urbanization of the neighboring town around it putting a high demand on access road which was due to the continuous increase and numerous human activities. As a result, inter-urban transportation problems emerged.

Regional Hospital Round About and Mobile Nkwen are two of the busiest and most active areas in Bamenda due to their geographical location as gate ways to many towns and villages in the northwest and beyond. urban transportation problems in the form of traffic congestion, illegal loading and offloading, non-legalized human activities especially informal sector activities, which are very dominant and other legalized human activities, are common in these areas. The continuous increase and numerous human activities is putting high pressure on the access road and stakeholders in charge of urban transportation planning, as a result, there is a need to investigate the challenges of urban Transportation planning in Bamenda Town.

1.2 Statement of Problem

Transportation is a very important activity in the tertiary sector of Bamenda. This explains why there exists numerous travel agencies and checks points all over the town of Bamenda.

Urban transportation is a common phenomenon in the city. However, the activity is plague by numerous challenges, ranging from traffic congestion, parking difficulties, car dependency and many others.  It is the author’s view, that there is a misconception that disciplinary planning is efficient and effective for the development of sustainable urban environments. Planning urban, transportation or infrastructural planning realms, and other built environment activities or functions cannot take place in a vacuum. The fundamental consolidation of all components of an environment or system, need to be taken into consideration during the planning and development phase, in order to produce a sustainable well-rounded result. Bamenda town congested with many commercial activities, institutions, travel agencies and sociocultural activities has added pressure to fully integrate the development process due to it the rapid growth of it urban population.

Transport is so central to all economic activity in moving raw materials to factories, labor to worksites, inputs and outputs along supply chains, consumers to services, and products to consumers (Andrew, Taner, Brian and Trevor 2015).  The Transport sector is an integral part of any modern day urban area, designed to provide efficient and economical movement between the component parts of a country and offer maximum possible mobility to all citizens, Bamenda Town is not an exception. The bus transport operators are continuously increasing follow by an increase in urbanization of Bamenda town putting a high demand on access road, which is due to the continuous increase and numerous human activities; consequently, the researcher sees the need to investigate the challenges of urban Transportation planning in Bamenda Town.

1.3 Research Questions

Main question

How does urban growth impact urban transportation in Bamenda Town?

Specific question

1. What aspects of urban growth affects urban transportation in Bamenda Town?
2. What are the effects of urban Transportation problems on economic development in Bamenda Town?

• What are the possible solutions to the urban transportation problems in Bamenda Town?

1.4 Research Objectives

Main research objective

The main objective of the study was to investigate how urban growth impact urban transportation problems in Bamenda Town.

Specific research objectives

1. To examine the aspects of urban growth that affects urban transportation in Bamenda Town.
2. To describe the effects of urban Transportation problems on economic development in Bamenda Town.

• To identify the possible solutions to the urban transportation problems in Bamenda Town.