Barbara Gruehl Kipke

Bicycle Usage in Two Cities of Africa

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BICYCLE TRAFFIC IN AFRICA - Traffic Situation in Burkina Faso

In Burkina Faso only 21,182 private motor vehicles were registered in 1983, that were concentrated in the cities, for a population of 6.55 million people. Only in 1984 were buses introduced for metropolitan public transport in the cities of Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dialasso, the second largest city in Burkina Faso. Mopeds and bicycles are the most predominant means of transport, whereby the percentage of mopeds has surpassed the bicycle. Household ownership of means of transportation was included in a study by Scheffer (30, p.22) and confirms the dominant role of the moped at the present time (Fig. 8).

Figure 8
HOUSEHOLD OWNERSHIP OF TRANSPORT MEANS

Due to the existence of local bicycle production facilities, this transport mode was particularly promoted. The steady sales figures of bicycles show that the bicycle remains popular.

Bicycle usage is common throughout the country. It is also the major means of transport within the rural areas. Bicycle usage is said to be even higher there, than it is the case in the cities (7, p.l04).

This phenomena should be analysed further, because due to the relatively low incomes in the rural areas less bicycle usage would be expected. In those regions, where bicycles are a rarely due to low incomes, it was said that mainly men utilize the bicycle.

1. Production

   Even though Burkina Faso has its own bicycle production site in the city of Bobo-Dialasso, the demand for bicycles can only be met through additional imports at the present time. In 1980 for example 47000 bicycles were produced in Burkina Faso while during the same period 27000 bicycles were imported, which leads to sales figures of over 70000 bicycles in a year (28, p. 10). Of the imported bicycles 8000 are of Chinese origin. Presently, a new locally manufactured bicycle costs 50000 CFA (1 US$ is equivalent to 288 CFA) (about 175 US$ for a Peugeot) or 46000 CFA (approx. 160 US$ for a Senisot), both originating from the same factory, but are of varying quality. In comparison, a Camico moped cost 200000 CFA (695 US$) in 1984.

2. Service Network

   The bad condition of the roads cause increased wear and tear on bicycles that thus have to be repaired frequently. According to L.O. Oedraogo "there are bicycle repairers every 200m in Ouagadougou" (23, p.53). The spare parts required for standard repair jobs are available in the markets.

   In most public parking lots it is usual to find a guard who watches over bicycles and mopeds, since apparently the likelyhood of theft is high. The parking fee is 25 CFA (10 UScents) / bicycle and 50 CFA (20 UScents) / moped.

A financial basis for the promotion of bicycle usage exists from the sale of bicycle plates, that are valid for a year and represent a tax revenue of 8,000,000 CFA (27,780 US$) per year (23, p. 19). Of these revenues only a portion goes towards the promotion of bicycle usage. In newly built and planned radial roads, bicycle routes have been included. The bicycle routes do not achieve a separation of traffic, however. Mopeds frequently use the bicycle routes and bicycles often change over to the road. The attractiveness of bicycle riding is increased by sport events such as the triathlon competition on April 13th, 1987 in Ouagadougou.

Street scenes in Ouagadougou show a heterogeneous transport mode composition and thereby heterogeneous speeds. Typical means of transport are the moped, the bicycle, the bus, the taxi, the private motor vehicle and the handcart. In previous traffic studies in Ouagadougou bicycles and mopeds were often classified together. The research work of Scheffer (30, p.26), however, determined modal splits for five city wards that included mopeds and bicycles as separate categories (Fig. 9).

Figure 9
MODAL SPLIT - OUAGADOUGOU

Apparently the moped percentage has been steadily increasing. This is the case even though the moped is four times as expensive as a bicycle, and costs 8000 CFA per month (28 US$) (24, p.22) on average for fuel and maintenance. Another possibility is the utilization of the bus which costs 75 CFA (30 UScents) per trip. Five bus lines were introduced in 1984. Taxis are only used in exceptional cases, since they are relatively expensive (200 to 300 CFA or 0.70 to 1.05 US$) (23, p.22). The number of taxis could decrease after the introduction of half-yearly technical controls because the taxis' technical condition is often substandard. Private motor vehicles are only affordable for a small minority. Handcarts, that are used to transport loads, slow down traffic since they move forward at walking speed. Traffic jams were not experienced, however, even during peak traffic hours.

Traffic rules and traffic lights are generally observed because a traffic police exists.

1. Inner-city traffic

   From the many different inner-city trip purposes only trips to and from work or school were considered in a prior survey (24, p.l8). According to this survey, 64% of work trips are longer than three kilometers (24, p. 18,19). Their destination is usually within the city center. A daily time graph from a radial road in Ouagadougou is shown below (Fig. 10).

   Figure 10
   Source: Renault Vehicules Industriels, p. 27

   It ean be seen that the peak traffic hours are from 6:30 to 7:30, 12:30 to 13:00, 14:45 to 15:15 and 17:45 to 18:45, which approximately corresponds with the main hours of commuting traffic to and from work. Traffic is largely determined by the fixed working hours. Peak traffic hours are necessarily the result of a deliberate decision by the administration against staggered working hours. The peak hours 12:00 to 13:00 and 14:45 to 15:15, are the result of the fact that many workers return home for lunch.

   The important role of the bicycle in Ouagadougou may be explained by the non-existence of public transport up until 1984 so that the bicycle was the only alternative to walking to overcome the long distances.

2. Bicycle Usage

   The bicycle is one of the main means of transport, both of people and goods, in Ouagadougou. Both men and women use the bicycle, even while wearing long traditional clothing. Mainly school children and lower income groups utilize the bicycle (24, Annexe, Rapport de Stage), whose bicycles are often in a bad condition. Short as well as long distances are traversed with the bicycle by these groups. The lowest income groups, with monthly incomes of less than 10000 CFA (35 USS), can usually not afford a bicycle. 38% of pedestrians belong to this category (24, p. 21).