INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON TRANSPORT AND ROAD RESEARCH 12th – 14th JUNE 2018 SAROVA WHITESANDS HOTEL, MOMBASA, KENYA

Materials Testing and Research Division (MTRD) in collaboration with Kenya Roads Board and support from Research and Community Access Partnership (ReCAP) hosted the first Iinternational Conference on Transport and Road Research in Kenya dubbed iTRARR2016 Conference in March, 2016 in Mombasa. Delegates recommended that the conference be held biennially to showcase achievements and emphasize role of Research and Innovation in the region. Therefore, the second iTRARR2018 was held from 12th to 14th June 2018 in the Sarova Whitesands Hotel, Mombasa. The conference was attended by 396 delegates from over 17 countries from Africa, South East Asia and Europe.

The theme of the conference was “Transport Solutions to transform lives in the region: Research & Innovation for safe, efficient and seamless transport”.

The conference proceedings included plenary sessions, dedicated workshops, technical site visits and exhibitions. The presentations made during the conference covered broad thematic areas on policy and strategy.

The conference was officially closed by the Principal Secretary for State Department of Infrastructure, Mr. Julius Korir where the following resolutions were adopted for implementation by research institutions and transport sector players as follows, officially closed the conference:

  1. Enhance funding for road and transport research.
  2. Establish a transport and road research base to enhance knowledge management, dissemination and uptake of transport research in the region.
  3. Establish a multi-Agency for Transport and Roads research for linkages between policy makers, industry and academia. The committee will develop the country’s research agenda for transport.
  4. Strengthen existing regional research fora (ARTReF)
  5. Identify alternative sources of funding for development and maintenance of transport infrastructure to address infrastructure deficit including infrastructure bonds, tolling, PPPs.
  6. Lobby for enactment of Kenya Roads Bill, 2018 to clarify funding and management of roads between National and County Government agencies.
  7. Fast-track implementation of mass rapid transit systems in the major cities in the SSA region
  8. Establish mechanisms for multi-agency regional and integrated land use and transport planning involving Ministry for transport, land and county governments.
  9. Build capacity for Road Asset Management in the Road Agencies in SSA region
  10. Promote young researchers and gender mainstreaming
  11. Implement value for money audits for road programs.
  12. Promote the use of ICT applications for transport programs (ITS)
  13. Develop and implement road safety strategies to reduce road fatalities by 50% by 2020 (address vulnerable road users, appropriate road furniture etc.).
  14. Enhance coordination of research and dissemination of research findings,