FIGURE 6: THE DROP IN DONORS’ INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT HAS HIT ALL SECTORS
60
Transport
ICT
Energy
Water and Sanitaion
Urban Development
50 40 30 20 10 0
95-98
99-02
95-98
99-02
95-98
99-02
Multilateral development banks
95-98
99-02
95-08
99-02
Bilateral donors
Source: Hesselbarth, 2004
With a much clearer understanding that investment in roads can be a critical catalyst to achieving the Millenium Development Goals, there is now growing support to restore levels of investment in transport infrastructure and in roads. In January 2005, for example, UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown emphasised the importance of access to roads for alleviating poverty. “Infrastructure is key. Even today for 12 African countries less than 10 per cent of their roads are paved…and while tariff costs are often highlighted, it is actually transport costs that often constitute a bigger burden of the cost of exporting. With freight and insurance costs representing 15 per cent of the total value of African exports it is difficult for them to be competitive. So we must also provide developing countries with the additional resources they need to build physical infrastructure… to enable growth, investment, trade and therefore poverty reduction”21. However, as development assistance for the transport sector of low and middle income countries rises, much greater effort will be required to mainstream road safety into the design of road infrastructure projects. There is a significant risk that a renewed interest in road building and rehabilitation will adversely impact on road safety. Improved access to transport
Above: UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown: “Infrastructure is key” to tackling poverty inevitably increases exposure to the risk factors that cause road traffic crashes and injuries. Bilateral and multilateral donors must now ensure that progress towards the Millennium Development Goals is not undermined by an acceleration of road traffic fatalities and injuries, particularly for vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists.
MAKE ROADS SAFE | 45