Accessibility Planning and Local Development. The application possibilities of the IRAP methodology

The ILO has been promoting for several years a multi-sectoral planning tool called Integrated Rural Accessibility Planning (IRAP) as an effective means to reduce the isolation experienced by a great share of the rural poor. IRAP is concerned with the improvement of the living and working conditions of rural populations. Its aim is to ensure that available investments are directed towards the most urgent needs of rural communities, for access to basic goods, social and economic services and employment opportunities. This planning tool is intended to be used by local planners and practitioners and to complement, rather than replace, existing planning practices. It is currently applied in a number of countries in Africa and Asia where it is giving encouraging results.

IRAP is an interesting case of analysis on the provision and use of information in the rural transport planning process. IRAP is a representative example of the transfer of knowledge from a development organisation to people working in rural projects in the developing world. On the other hand, as a methodology, it defines the kind of information needed for its implementation, therefore, it becomes a source of demand for information for the policy planning process.

This paper explores the linkages between rural accessibility planning and the local development process. The paper provides indications concerning the likely usefulness of the IRAP tool within specific planning contexts. It also identifies areas for future work to enhance the potential of IRAP. The paper includes a brief description of the IRAP methodology. It is presented in seven steps in which the collection of primary and secondary data is a key input. The data required is categorised into five main groups of information:

- general socio-economic characteristics of the area;
- location and quality of facilities;
- transport system inventory;
- travel patterns; and
- community priorities.

It is stated that is necessary to train local planners to carry out data collection as a key activity in the success of this methodology.