November 2022
Development of the Safe and Sustainable Transport Action Plan for Tanga City
This was done through collaboration between Tanga City Council, Fondation Botnar and multiple other stakeholders, including government agencies, the private sector, schools, civil society, youth, road users and international organisations.
It is the result of ongoing cooperation on road safety and transport issues that began in 2019. Following a series of meetings, workshops and activities, and based on scientific research and in-depth local knowledge, this Action Plan outlines specific Actions and Aspirations, with commitment from stakeholders.
The Action Plan is being managed by a secretariat – Amend – with regular workshops and meetings to drive progress and ensure accountability. The Action Plan has been designed to coincide with the United Nations’ Second Decade of Action for Road Safety, 2021 to 203
November 2022
Capacity building of Community Development officers
25 Community Development Officers from across the city were provided with training and materials to enable them to discuss road safety issues with community members.
December 2022
Paper published from Safe Journeys Study – Road traffic injuries in Tanzanian children and adolescents: A cross-sectional household survey
Important findings included:
– For those children in or on a vehicle at the time of the crash, 54% were on motorcycles. This shows the importance of both working with schools and communities to discourage the use of motorcycles by children, and training motorcycle-taxi riders
– For those children not in or on a vehicle at the time of the crash, 76% were struck by a motorcycle. This shows the importance of providing safe infrastructure for pedestrians, including keeping motorcycles off pedestrian footpaths and reducing motorcycle speeds in areas where there are child pedestrians, and training motorcycle riders
March 2023
Safe School Zones created
Since 2019, Safe School Zones have been created around eight primary schools: Chuda, Chuma, Kana, Kana Central, Masiwani, Usagara, Martin Shamba and Mwanzange. The areas have seen the construction of new pedestrian footpaths, a footbridge and zebra crossings, as well as the installation of speed humps, road signs, pedestrian guard rails and two barriers to prevent motorcycles from using footpaths. The speed limit in the zones has been reduced to 30km/h, reducing both the risk of crashes and the severity of injuries should a crash occur.
March 2023
Training of motorcycle-taxi riders completed
Since 2019, practical training has been provided to 520 motorcycle-taxi riders who operate within Tanga City and officials from Tanga City Council who use motorcycles as part of their work. Riders have learned the practical skills needed in everyday riding around Tanga, including correct overtaking, correct positioning at junctions and roundabouts, and emergency stop. This initiative has involved cooperation between the Tanga urban motorcycle-taxi associations (UWAPIBATA), Tanga City Council, the Traffic Police and Amend.
April 2023
Road safety education with students
Since 2019, road safety education has been taught to a total of over 12,000 students from fourteen primary and secondary schools in Tanga City. Life-saving lessons that the students learned included how to be seen while walking along the road, how to choose a safe place to cross, and how to cross the road.
April 2023
Kids’ Court’ programme implemented at six schools, with over 50 child ‘judges’ trained and around 100 drivers ‘sentenced’
The Traffic Police stop drivers seen breaking laws outside the schools, but rather than issuing a fine, they invite the drivers in to face the child judges. The judges ask questions like “Do you know that if you drive too fast you might kill me or one of my friends?” Drivers are required to sign a pledge to drive safely around schools before leaving the court.
