As low and middle-income countries urbanise and grow wealthier, the rates of private motor vehicle use have soared. This severely strains their transport systems and is leading to social, economic, and environmental harm. The capacity to plan for these changes has not proven sufficient.

In this study, the ITDP research team assesses capacity in three states in India and four countries in sub-Saharan Africa to develop a better understanding of which capacity constraints are most important in several contexts within these regions. Using stakeholder interviews, the paper highlights issues common to both regions, including a lack of understanding, funding and technical capacity to implement high volume transport (HVT), the application of inappropriate policies, and poor coordination within government.

In India, interview subjects described decisionmakers favouring large infrastructure projects over smaller projects and a lack of engagement with private sector actors. In sub-Saharan Africa, interview subjects described a lack of data and indicators to measure progress and a lack of capacity in local governments to raise revenue and implement policies. The information collected in this study can be used to identify key areas of engagement to improve capacity to implement HVT measures, particularly in Indian and sub-Saharan African cities.