Windhoek has inadequate infrastructure to allow widespread active mobility options. This problem is coupled with a lack of access to affordable, sustainable mobility alternatives. In a city where transport costs are high, and paratransit is the main way to get around, the pilot project aims to make electric bicycles available and accessible to students by installing E-Mobility Hubs on two University Campuses. The project will provide students and residents with e-bikes to use and experience sustainable mobility options. To scale and ensure sustainability of the pilot, appropriate financing instruments and awareness campaigns should be supported to transform Namibia’s capital Windhoek into an e-mobility hub in Southern Africa.
The City of Windhoek participated in the TUMI Challenge with the EBikes4Windhoek initiative. The Transformative Urban Mobility Initiative (TUMI) promotes the establishment and development of sustainable urban mobility in developing countries and emerging economies through the offering of technical and financial support for innovative ideas.
The TUMI challenge “Ebikes4Windhoek” project aims to demonstrate the use of electric bicycles (e-bikes) as sustainable and affordable form of transport. The primary beneficiaries of the project will be students from the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) and the University of Namibia (UNAM). Beneficiaries will be selected with the assistance of the student representative councils from the respective Higher Education Institutions.
To compliment the TUMI initiative of Windhoek, GIZ Transport in Namibia is constructing a cycling lane, which will serve asl a safe and dedicated cycling lane for the students to use. The route is over 4km on both sides of the road and will provide a dedicated cycling lane between the low-middle income residential areas of Windhoek to the university campuses.
A Project Planning Workshop including Needs Analysis, Budget Planning, Project Timing took place
Project was adapted to better fit needs of citizens during the COVID-19 pandemic
Cooperation with GIZ Namibia office & City of Windhoek on implementaion plan
E-bicycle procurement tender was initiated
On world bicycle day 23rd October, this year, a ground-breaking ceremony was held to officially start the construction of the cycling lane.