K. Broersma

"What Role could the Bicycle Play in developing Countries ?"

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POLITICAL CONSTRAINTS

Political constraints can be the most severe. A distinction should be made between "hard" constraints which must be recognized and the "soft" ones which exist at the moment, but can be challenged and modified. A good example concerns importation Of motor-vehicles in nonmanufacturing countries. Some countries apply rigid policies of import restrictions; these must be recognised though the enforcement might in the future be less stringent and the conesquences of such a policy-change should be examined.

A local government structure based on the old British model frequently leads to administrations which are well organized to deal with highways and interurban railways, but inadequate to deal with (urban) public transport which is left to private enterprise. This together with an education bias in favour of highway engineering, often leads to inadequate consideration of public transport, let alone walk and cycle trips.

Modification of current aspirations, towards more emphasis on politically less popular expenditure such as for public transport or cycling-facillities, will not be easy. Without externally financed pilot/demonstration schemes ( donor-agencies/countries required!) such a modification in the thinking of the politicians-in-power may not be initiated for some time.