LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
ACTIVE DESIGN OR NON - MOTORISED TRANSPORT PROJECTS
​​Project Involvement
Non-Motorised Transport Projects
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Active Design or Non-motorised transport (NMT) is recognised in South African National and Provisional policies as an important mode to be considered when addressing access and mobility of the South African population. Under the National Land Transport Act, 5 of 2009, as amended by the National Land Transport Amendment Act 23 of 2023, non-motorised transport is explicitly defined in the statutory definitions section. The definition reads: “non-motorised transport” means transport by any mode other than a motor vehicle including, but not limited to, walking, cycling and animal-drawn vehicles and motorised or non-motorised wheelchairs.”
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According to the legislative definition and supporting transport planning policy interpretations:
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Walking and pedestrian movement — including people using manual mobility aids.
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Cycling — bicycles and similar cycles.
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Animal-drawn vehicles — carts or similar forms not powered by an engine.
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Wheelchairs — both motorised and non-motorised.
The national government through the National Department of Transport (NDOT) are responsible for setting transport policy in South Africa. It is the responsibility of the provinces and metropolitan and district municipalities to implement these policies and to plan and implement the necessary projects and initiatives.
in 2010, we were appointed by the City of Cape Town (Local Government) as part of a consultant team to deliver a higher order non-motorised transport network plan for one quadrant of the Cape Town Metropolitan Area. Following delivery of this work, the Council identified and compiled an inventory of strategic projects throughout the region. A pre-determined set of criteria were used to prioritise projects and initiate the process of delivery. Following this, Aspect Landscape Architecture was appointed on professional teams by the City of Cape Town - Transport & Roads Department in the planning, design and delivery of 13 non-motorised transport projects. These projects were focussed on connecting and integrating communities that had been established with earlier design principles of 'separateness'. Physical connections were strengthened between communities and their local public facilities and buildings to ensure ease of access for all. This integration was made possible through the establishment of pedestrian and cycle networks. Initially these networks were envisioned as standardised hard infrastructure that was measurable. Over time, the officials acknowledged that the landscape component on these projects was as providing an important contribution in improving the lived experience of communities. It is for this reason that non-motorised transport projects evolved to include the identification of public open spaces by including land parcels within these networks that were suited to upgrade and development.
Overall, these projects spier-headed the principles espoused in 'placemaking' and they had a strong component of community involvement, upskilling and labour-intensive employment under the Department of Public Works & Infrastructure Expanded Public Works Programme.
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Additionally, the contract periods on these projects was extended by at least 24 months beyond project completion, as it was recognised that these projects required management and maintenance beyond 12 months.