Page 187 - RoadCem Manual - PCT BV

STAGE 3
State and local roads agencies - the importance of “buy-in”, which can be achieved through the process of stakeholder involvement in the whole process.
STAGE 4
Specifications and contracts - the modification of conventional specifications and contract types to suit local conditions; the important role of contractors in embracing the new approaches as embodied in project applications.
STAGE 5
Benefits - the substantial potential benefits to be gained by implementing the recommendations in the Guideline.
The production of this Manual forms a major part of Stage 3 as well as contributing to parts of Stage 2 and 4. This chapter is concerned with the pathway from here to full acceptance and implementation. The various obstacles and associated problems that remain and suggestions for overcoming them are discussed below.
7.2 Political
GOVERNMENT POLICY
The road transport sector cannot be properly planned without reference to overall government transport policy. For effective planning, governments need to take a comprehensive view of the whole transport sector, with road sector policy being designed to meet the wider social and economic goals of each country. It is important that the key messages from this Manual on the benefits to be derived from RoadCem based approach are included in the debate leading to the development of a policy document. The policy should cover such issues as poverty alleviation, employment creation, technology choice, etc. The outcome of this process will dictate the type of planning system that is most appropriate.
POLITICAL AND PUBLIC PERCEPTIONS
The intense competition for scarce public funds makes it imperative that appropriate, cost-effective standards are adopted at all times in the provision of roads. This may well imply the use of lower, but nonetheless appropriate, standards on these roads. However, such standards can still provide a satisfactory level of service with no compromise on road safety.
It is important that the public and political authorities accept the standards adopted for roads. However, their perceptions as to what is an appropriate standard of pavement or surfacing can adversely affect technical decisions.
Very often such perceptions are conditioned by standards adopted in the developed world and with traditional materials; a lower, albeit more appropriate, standard based on new materials is often perceived to be “sub-standard” and, hence, unacceptable.
More effort needs to be expended on educating politicians and the general public as to the basis on which technical standards are determined so that they are more readily accepted. Ranking policy
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