CAPE TOWN – The City of Cape Town has signed on to the Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety (BIGRS), gaining access to world-leading road safety expertise and four full-time professionals embedded at the City for the next four years.
The initiative links more than 30 cities worldwide in implementing evidence-based measures to cut traffic deaths and injuries. For Cape Town, the partnership arrives just as the City’s transport planning and network management team begins rolling out the recently approved Road Safety Strategy. Projects stemming from the partnership will be managed by the urban mobility directorate in close collaboration with traffic services.
Mayco member for urban mobility, Rob Quintas, said the timing could not be better. “The launch of this exciting partnership is perfectly timed as our transport planning teams embark on the implementation of the City’s recently approved road safety strategy, which ultimately directs our efforts in making Cape Town’s roads safer and reducing the number of accidents and loss of life,” he said.
We are certain that Cape Town will achieve great success in their efforts over the next few years and plan to support the team with the experience and resources we have to offer.
The updated strategy addresses safety for pedestrians, other non-motorised road users, and passengers, especially scholars and public transport users. “We are aligned to what we know is one of the greatest drivers for the BIGRS, which is to assist cities in creating a transport system that allows people to move safely and efficiently,” Quintas said.
BIGRS director of injury prevention Kelly Larson said the initiative helps cities implement a proven package of life-saving activities, with a strong focus on data collection and surveillance, changing road-user behaviour, and improving road infrastructure.
“We are thrilled to be in Cape Town this week to mark the start of our new partnership with the City of Cape Town,” Larson said. “We are certain that Cape Town will achieve great success in their efforts over the next few years and plan to support the team with the experience and resources we have to offer.”
The City leads the development, coordination, and oversight of road safety initiatives. Through the strategy, priorities include safer pedestrian crossings, traffic calming, improved safety around schools, safer walking and cycling environments, public awareness campaigns, and targeted enforcement in high-risk locations.
ALSO READ: Cape Town puts vulnerable road users first in new safety strategy
“In a few years’ time, we want to see a stronger road safety culture here in Cape Town with fewer serious injuries and lives lost to accidents that were in fact preventable on many occasions,” Quintas said.
“I can’t wait to see all the innovative projects that have already been implemented successfully abroad, and which ones could be implemented here to keep Cape Town moving safely.”
Progressed to be tracked
Since 2007, the Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety has worked with governments and international and local partners to pass nearly 200 national, state, and city policies, protecting 4.2 billion people and saving an estimated 900 000 lives, according to the organisation’s website.
The initiative has also improved safety features in 135 car models, redesigned more than 2 400 dangerous intersections, and trained nearly 80 000 traffic police across 22 countries.
The initiative implements a comprehensive package of activities proven to save lives, focusing on five key areas. This includes strengthening national legislation, enhancing data collection and surveillance, changing road-user behaviour, improving road infrastructure, and upgrading vehicle safety.
Its next phase aims to save one million additional lives through 2030. The initiative includes the Bloomberg Initiative for Cycling Infrastructure (BICI), which helps cities design streets that increase biking rates, revitalise neighbourhoods, and promote community health and well-being.
Since 2022, BICI’s competitive grant programme has reached two million people across 10 cities, building over 200 miles of safe cycling facilities and preventing 8 000 crashes. It anticipates a reduction of 97 000 tons of CO2 emissions by 2040.
For Cape Town, the partnership will bring technical assistance and training from experts in the world’s leading road safety organisations, benefiting the City’s Transport Planning and Network Management team as they implement the recently approved Road Safety Strategy.
The City has assured residents that progress from the partnership will be tracked, with interventions and resources directed to areas of greatest need.
