The Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) has secured a €5-million grant from the German development bank KfW to finance a five-year second phase of its nonmotorised transport (NMT) programme.
This formed part of the German–South African binational Financial Cooperation agreement.
Phase 1 of the programme, initiated in 2011, focused on the development of bicycle routes, parking facilities and rental stations to promote NMT.
The infrastructure development of Phase 1 has been completed within the eThekwini metropolitan municipality and the City of Johannesburg, while the Polokwane local municipality was in the final stages of completing the first phase.
Phase 2 would extend existing bicycle networks to contribute to efficient intermodal transportation networks within the cities. It would include associated services such as promotion of small, medium-sized and microenterprise development through the establishment of bicycle empowerment centres.
The programme would also involve campaigns to encourage NMT use by communities.
