Citation: KAH, E.F, TENDE, R.T & NDIYUN, Z.N (2021). Multipurpose Motor Park Creation as a Palliative to Urban
Transport Disorder and Congestion in Bamenda, Cameroon. Saudi J. Humanities Soc Sci, 6(9): 341-347.
341
Saudi Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences
Abbreviated Key Title: Saudi J Humanities Soc Sci
ISSN 2415-6256 (Print) | ISSN 2415-6248 (Online)
Scholars Middle East Publishers, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Journal homepage: https://saudijournals.com
Original Research Article
Multipurpose Motor Park Creation as a Palliative to Urban Transport
Disorder and Congestion in Bamenda, Cameroon
KAH Elvis Fang (PhD)
1
, TENDE Renz Tichafogwe (PhD)
2*
, NDIYUN Zacharia Ndikintum
3
1
Senior Lecturer in Environmental Geography and Geomatics, Department of Geography, the University of Yaounde 1
2
Senior Lecturer Urban & Development Geography, Department of Geography, The University of Yaounde I, PO Box 755 Yaounde, CAMEROON
3
Masters in Urban Planning and Management, the University of Yaoounde 1
DOI: 10.36348/sjhss.2021.v06i09.006 | Received: 06.08.2021 | Accepted: 09.09.2021 | Published: 16.09.2021
*Corresponding author: TENDE Renz Tichafogwe
Abstract
Unorthodox urban transport parking and the proliferation of motor parks has elicited traffic congestion and chaos in the
city of Bamenda. This article seeks to address the disorder through the creation of a multipurpose motor park as palliative
to the disorder accrued. The paper advocates that a harmonized parking sector would not only decongest the city, but will
as well maintain urban order. Some 182 questionnaires were administered to the city dwellers, transport agency owners
and administrative authorities for first-hand information on the need for a multipurpose motor park. Field observation and
interview sessions were carried out to confirm primary information acquired. The GPS was used to capture points for
mapping of existing parks and the proposed multipurpose one. An in-depth documentary research was done to have
information on the situation of the Bamenda city to propose solutions. Data collected was treated and analysed through
the ArcGIS 10.0 and AutoCAD Map 3D to realise maps and diagrams for results. The Microsoft excel spread sheet was
used to treat and generate tables for presentation and analyses. Results from findings disclose that the multiplying of
motor parks in the city of Bamenda from all angles both as private and public has initiated disorder in the sector. Close to
63% of the parks are owned by private individuals who are more profit oriented than public interest focused leading to
disorder. Demographic pressure from the perpetual increase in the population of Bamenda from 48,111 inhabitants in
1976 to 755,602 in 2020 has favoured congestion. The traffic flow of the city which is concentrated on its popular inlet
through Up-Station from other regions has provoked severe congestion in the city. Uncontrolled parking has instigated
urban transport chaos which can be salvaged through the creation of a multipurpose motor park.
Keywords: multipurpose Motor Park, urban disorder, traffic congestion, palliative, Bamenda.
Copyright © 2021 The Author(s): This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
License (CC BY-NC 4.0) which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium for non-commercial use provided the original
author and source are credited.
1. INTRODUCTION
Sub-Saharan African emergent cities are
currently facing dense traffic movements owing to rapid
population explosion and more from insufficient roads
and parking space which breeds anarchy and
congestion. This phenomenon is more felt in emergent
cities which are generally the economic and
employment hubs of their area. Such cities face rapid
population growth from migration and rural exodus
which pulls the unemployed population to search for
greener pastures Ananya and Aihwa, (2011). This mass
movement unfortunately increases the traffic flow of
the emergent cities which with their incapability to
contain such traffic are affected by severe congestion.
Such dense traffic flows are experienced in several
African cities and are responsible for the numerous
congestion and delays in delivery of goods and services.
This delay and congestion emanates from insufficient
road network to contain the traffic demand as well as
inadequate and uncontrolled parking which is not
sustainable Dorina and Dominic, (2015).
The panacea to sustainable transport parking is
the creation of a multipurpose parking space which will
harbour and control in and out flow of traffic
movements that always provoke congestions in the
heart of cities Fogwe, (2020). Such is the case of the
Bamenda city which is faced by wanton traffic
congestion that lasts for hours and renders movements
uncomfortable. It is in furtherance to such
uncomfortable conditions that this article seeks to
address the disorder through the creation of a
multipurpose motor park as palliative to traffic
congestion in Bamenda. The paper propounds that a
harmonized parking sector would not only decongest
the city, but will as well maintain urban order and
tranquillity.