This paper discusses the implications that recent policy emphasis in South Africa on the movement needs of the urban poor has for local movement network planning and design practice. Evidence of the benefits of different generic local movement network configurations for the movement modes used by the urban poor (walking and public transport) is reviewed, and the relevance and implications of this evidence to the South African context is discussed. It is concluded that, in contrast to conventional practice, `open' network configurations best suit the needs of the urban poor, but that the practical implications these networks have for pedestrian and driver safety, and network management, still need to be properly understood. (A) The French title of the paper is: "La `politique privilégeant les transports publiques' et les pratiques de planification du réseau routier local".
Abstract