1. ACCESSIBILITY PLANNING TOOLS

2. Useful accessibility planning tools
Integrated rural accessibility planning (IRAP)
Comprehensive planning approach which puts all ways of improving access on the same footing
Accessibility planning:
defines an indicator of isolation which enables the planner to define the core network

3. IRAP: what it is
Maps patterns of isolation in a community, using surveys of household travel needs and problems
Defines a hierarchy of actions to reduce it such as
Road improvements
Improving tracks and footpaths
Improved transport services/IMT promotion
Relocating clinics and basic services
Sets priorities based on cost-effectiveness indices
Integrated Rural Accessibility Planning (IRAP) is a tool for local level planners using surveys and collaborative analysis, the pattern of isolation of a community and hence derive a hierarchy of actions to be taken to reduce it.
It is particularly useful in that roads just one way among others of enhancing mobility not an end in themselves.
Road improvements are a possibility, as are improving tracks and footpaths for local trips and to provide basic access to help people to get from village to motor roads.
Public transport services may be poor or too expensive so supporting intermediate means of transport (IMT) as well as proposing improvements to conventional transport services could complement or replace road improvements.
Finally, rather then embarking on costly road investments, relocating clinics and other basic services so as to reduce time spent in travel could be a better solution. Measures can be prioritised by their cost-effectiveness relative to indices of accessibility, preferably set nationally to ensure equity among regions.
IRAP is most pertinent for setting priorities within networks where the simple cost-benefit trade-offs normally used to set priorities for roads where motor traffic is significant cannot be used: that is, for paths, tracks and very low-volume motor roads.
nvestment in the motorable network is not ignored, since IRAP will indicate the need for them at the community level. However, local residents are not the only users of these roads so decisions about improving them must integrate further information about travel demand.
IRAP is a complex tool to apply and requires structured local training. if local participation in execution and analysis, on which this approach is centred, is to be effective. It involves household surveys, subsequently processed electronically to provide travel patterns. It also involves extensive mapping, of transport infrastructure, topography and the spatial distribution of settlements and services. Finally, the two must be brought together to define and evaluate improvement programmes.
It must be emphasised that IRAP is a decision tool which cuts across many rural sectors, health, water, sanitation, education. It provides not only recommendations about transport infrastructure but also may propose investment in relocating or adding rural services such as schools, clinics, wells and others so as to make them more accessible. In the context of poverty reduction initiatives it provides a tool for accurate targeting of isolation.
Successfully implementation requires collaboration among ministries active in rural areas. It is best applied within local decentralised structures, where it can be learned, applied and integrated for expansion to adjacent areas.

4. IRAP: how it is done Collect data using household surveys Process data
Present accessibility situation: existing transport and travel and
access problems,
Process data
Set up computerised database
Analyse and map accessibility planning information
Produce tables, graphs, maps and overlays and identify solutions
Hold workshops to validate results and explore priorities and solutions
Produce area accessibility profile to compare theoretical access problems with those perceived by the population
Set accessibility targets
Formulate and prioritise interventions and harmonize with higher level ones for implementation
Da Data collection (step 1) is the first exercise. Enumerators hold interviews with key-informants
of target villages in the district, using a questionnaire that contains questions on accessibility
in all sectors, like drinking water, agricultural marketing, health, education, etc. It collects data
on the existing transport, travel and access problems and prioritizes possible interventions for
improvement.
Data Processing (step 2) involves data encoding and processing into a computerized
database.
Data Analysis (step 3) of the encoded data will lead to specific information on access in all
sectors. The information can be grouped for different administrative levels. Tables and graphs
help the users to interpret the results.
Mapping (step 4) assists visualization of the accessibility situation. Combining maps and overlays
of different sectors will help to identify the best possible solutions to achieve integrated and cost
effective access interventions.
Validation workshops (step 5) are held to verify the data analysis output and to formulate and
discuss the access problems and priorities and to identify interventions with the representativesta Processing (
Compilation of Access Profiles (step 6) is done following collection of the access information
after verification in the workshops. The combinations of the output from the analysis and the
maps form a profile of the accessibility of an area. An Area Accessibility Profile will include ranked
villages and VDCs for each sector. The Profile furthermore provides descriptive information on
facilities and services. The most urgent accessibility problems, as perceived by the people
themselves, are listed. Preliminary solutions suggested by the villagers are also mentioned. The
“objective” numerical (access) ranking is compared to the more subjective, perceived problems
and proposed interventions.
Setting Accessibility Targets (step 7) is the next step in the process. Having identified accessibility
problems in each sector and cross sectorally, realistic targets and objectives at local level are
defined.
Prioritization and Formulation of Interventions (step 8) is the next logical step in addressing
accessibility needs at both area and district level. The district authorities can pro-actively
formulate proposals or alternatives to village proposals that go beyond the scope of individual
villages or VDCs. It is now possible to relate this assessment to district and sector targets.
Implementation (step 9) is the stage in which the proposed interventions (projects), identified
in the Prioritization Process, are included in the overall district development projects and ready
for implementation. IRAP in Malawi is introduced as a tool that can enhance and complement
the District Development Planning System. Integration of the IRAP contributes to having a
participatory method to assess the needs of the rural population. Planning becomes more
effective and efficient.
Monitoring and Evaluation (step 10) is the final step in the IRAP cycle. Feedback is required
to improve the effectiveness of all steps and the results of interventions have to be assessed

5. IRAP: for and against For:
Very cost-effective for rural areas because it is not road-centred
Centred on local participation so more sustainable
Solutions appropriate to local problems
Against:
Only applicable for quite small areas
Heavy in skilled resources
Can be difficult to integrate within regional or national programmes

6. IRAP : practical considerations

7. Basic access planning: what it is
An easily applied tool to define and prioritize investment in core road networks
It defines an accessibility objective like: most people should be within a reasonable walking distance of a road where motor transport is available (index such as 2km: long walks =less invstment)
It can integrate poverty reduction by using diffential weighting for known « poverty pockets »

8. Basic access planning: inputs
A map showing:
Distribution of villages and populations
Location of services
The road network: type and condition;
Two road condition surveys necessary: the first covering the entire network to provide information for core network definition; the second on the core network only to calculate work volumes and costs
Community surveys to determine travel patterns and accessibility difficulties solvable by motor transport (also to obtain agreement on index)
Participation at all levels (from politicians, through civil servants to the population) to orient data collection and guide choice of solutions
Unit costs of rehabilitation and maintenance for typical road sections

9. Basic access planning: results
Investments and annual maintenance costs for a prioritised and coherent core network
Staged investment programme adapted to availability of investment and maintenance budgets

10. Accessibility planning: for and against
Coherent and transparent investment plan in roads and tracks acceptable to almost everybody
Can integrate economic evaluation tools if appropriate (traffic greater say than 30 vpd): normally rely on social cost-effectiveness indices
Against:
Not much: requires much more data collection and consultation than traditional feasibility studies of individual roads

11. Accessibility planning:practical considerations
Maps and road inventory often not available or inaccurate: must often be corrected
Make sure that survey teams are well-trained and supervised so that subjective evaluations are consistent
Engineers want to do a better job than necessary so make sure they collect only what is necessary at each stage
Rapidity is important so make sure that survey teams meet daily norms
Leave time to write up results together daily
Consult systematically at each stage:
at the beginning to fix parameters;
after first survey to align results on local realities;
after core network definition to ensure it is acceptable;
frequently during investment programme definition to confirm conformity with availability of financing

12. References: accessibility planning tools
IRAP gateway
Rural access index.
Basic access introduction
Integrated rural accessibility planning (IRAP)
Introduction to IRAP
Rural roads management tools guide.pdf
Integrated Rural Accessibility Planning (IRAP) is a tool for local level planners to help them to capture, through surveys and collaborative analysis, the pattern of isolation of a community and hence derive a hierarchy of actions to be taken to reduce it. It is particularily useful in that roads are viewed as just one way among others of enhancing mobility rather than an end in themselves. Road improvements are a possibility, as are improving tracks and footpaths for local trips and to provide basic access to help people to get to motor roads. Public transport services may be poor or too expensive so supporting intermediate means of transport (IMT) as well as proposing improvements to conventional transport services could complement or replace road improvements. Finally, rather then embarking on costly road investments, relocating clinics and other basic services so as to reduce time spent in travel could be a better solution. Measures can be prioritised by their cost-effectiveness relative to indices of accessibility, preferably set nationally to ensure equity among regions.
IRAP is most pertinent for setting priorities within networks where the simple cost-benefit trade-offs normally used to set priorities for roads where motor traffic is significant cannot be used: that is, for paths, tracks and very low-volume motor roads. Investment in the motorable network is not ignored, since IRAP will indicate the need for them at the community level. However, local residents are not the only users of these roads so decisions about improving them must integrate further information about travel demand.
IRAP is a complex tool to apply and requires structured local training. if local participation in execution and analysis, on which this approach is centred, is to be effective. It involves household surveys, subsequently processed electronically to provide travel patterns. It also involves extensive mapping, of transport infrastructure, topography and the spatial distribution of settlements and services. Finally, the two must be brought together to define and evaluate improvement programmes.
It must be emphasised that IRAP is a decision tool which cuts across many rural sectors, health, water, sanitation, education. It provides not only recommendations about transport infrastructure but also may propose investment in relocating or adding rural services such as schools, clinics, wells and others so as to make them more accessible. In the context of poverty reduction initiatives it provides a tool for accurate targeting of isolation.
Successfully implementation requires collaboration among ministries active in rural areas. It is best applied within local decentralised structures, where it can be learned, applied and integrated for expansion to adjacent areas.
For more detail on using IRAP, visit the IRTRD and gTKP sites