Rethinking transportation: planning and building resilient systems to meet global externalities “resilient rail infrastructure”

Abstract

Rail infrastructure is an important element of the transportation network in Africa, and its importance has been growing over the years due to the increased demand for efficient transportation systems. With factors like climate change, rapid population growth, and urbanisation rate, it is inevitable that there will be shortages of infrastructure in the years to come hence the need for resilient infrastructure. However, rail infrastructure is susceptible to a range of hazards, including fire, which can cause significant damage and disruption. This essay will examine the issue of rail infrastructure resilience in Africa, with a particular focus on fire safety. Fire safety is a crucial aspect of rail infrastructure in Africa and investing in it, enhances resilience of rail infrastructure. There has been an increase in fire related incidents over the past years. This shows a careless treatment of fire safety of the railway infrastructure in Africa and calls for all stakeholders to work together and implement fire safety in rail infrastructure. The essay will begin by defining the concept of resilience and discussing the factors that contribute to rail infrastructure resilience. It will then examine the specific challenges and risks associated with fire safety in the context of rail infrastructure in Africa. Finally, the essay will explore some strategies and best practices for enhancing rail infrastructure resilience in Africa with respect to fire safety