Cycling And NMT Advocacy In The City Of Windhoek, Namibia

Cycling advocacy refers to a series of activities and interventions that promote, call for or enable, the increased approval and adoption of support for cycling and all that it requires. By its very nature this includes all aspects of safety, convenience, viability, accessibility of bicycles and the planning and creation of facilities and supportive measures. Advocacy has been successful as an indicator when levels of cycling in a particular neighbourhood, town, city or region have increased – and these increases have been supported by improvements in planning, design, implementation and construction of infrastructure that supports this growth.

During the second half of 2024, a German-funded feasibility study on behalf of the City of Windhoek and involving visits and interventions have been conducted in Windhoek to address raising the profile, safety and practicality of NMT in Windhoek. This has comprised of community visits, targeted specialist and stakeholder engagements and interventions including suggestions of action that can achieve this. One such intervention has been the creation of a Bicycle Advisory Group (BAG) – a working committee made up of cycling federation members, bicycle industry partners, NGO’s and interested stakeholders to oversee the ongoing building of the program of action to grow cycling in all its forms – commuting, recreational and competitive. The idea was widely accepted, dare I say enthusiastically embraced, but all who bore witness, and the path forward as a result strengthened. The strength in building similar pedestrian unity is somewhat more challenging, given that no clear pedestrian groups exist – but through increased activity in community structures and improving the link with partner groups such as Public Transport operators, this component can be strengthened.

The feasibility study runs to January 2025; thereafter, the City of Windhoek will begin assessment and an implementation program.