Integrated rural mobility and access: mainstreaming environmental issues in community transport planning and construction projects

Abstract

The Mpumalanga Department of Roads and Transport (MDORT) developed and published a Rural Transport Strategy for the province in May 2006. One of the cornerstones of the strategy is the realization that an integrated approach to rural development is the key to sustainability. In this regard the MDORT adopted the Integrated Rural Mobility and Access (IRMA) approach to project implementation as articulated in the Rural Transport strategy for South Africa (DOT, 2003). In essence, the IRMA approach endeavours to find innovative solutions to challenges related to accessing socio-economic opportunities by communities within the ambit of environmental sustainability. These interventions would include inter alia, the provision of appropriate and integrated rural transportation infrastructure [including pedestrian bridges, paths, and low-level crossings] and services [including non-motorised transport services] complete with adequate funding streams for maintenance and development. MDORT has interpreted and piloted the IRMA concept in the Albert Luthuli Municipality (formerly Elukwatini/Carolina) in Mpumalanga. This paper presents empirical findings relating to environmental challenges emanating form the planning & implementation of IRMA that is. community-based, labour- intensive construction of community infrastructure such as pedestrian bridges, paths, low-level crossings running the gamut from awareness raising [especially through the auspices of the Environmental Management Steering Committee which became an effective conduit for imparting information on the environment to beneficiary communities] to proactively putting in place practical countermeasures demonstrating and entrenching the benefits of environmental sustainability in the Albert Luthuli Municipality in Mpumalanga Province