Report

Promoting Non-motorized Transport in Nairobi: A Study on Users, Safety and Infrastructure Trends

This study was commissioned to examine Non-Motorized Transport (NMT) in Nairobi and recommend ways of improving the NMT experience. The research shows that in Nairobi 2.27 million trips per day are made by walking, and 55,000 by cycling. Many people walk and cycle to work, largely due to low-income levels and a lack of available alternatives. Pedestrians and cyclists are faced with several challenges in their NMT journey: from traffic accidents, lack of green spaces and pollution, to muggings, congestion, a lack of footpaths and cycle lanes, and encroachment upon their designated lanes. The majority of these challenges are safety- or infrastructure-related. NMT users account for 66.3% of traffic fatalities in Nairobi. Pedestrians are the most vulnerable road users, accounting for 64.5% of fatalities in Nairobi, and cyclists account for 1.8% of these fatalities. 88.3% of all fatalities are males. Further investigations reveal that 10 roads in Nairobi account for 55.5% of all fatalities. Private cars, followed by Public Service Vehicles (PSVs), are leading causes of accidents, many of which occur on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Factors that contribute to these accidents include speeding, careless driving and careless pedestrian crossing, lack of pedestrian crossings and poor lighting, among others.