South Pacific Geoscience Commission (SOPAC) SAMOA COUNTRY REPORT National Consultant Report on: OCTOBER 2005 Promotion of Environmentally Sustainable Transportation in the Pacific Islands SOUTH PACIFIC GEOSCIENCE COMMISSION (SOPAC) NATIONAL CONSULTANT REPORT ON PROMOTION OF ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION IN THE PACIFIC ISLANDS REPORT ON SAMOA TABLE OF CONTENTS GLOSSARY ..................................................................................................................... I EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................ 1 REPORT ON METHODOLOGY ..................................................................................... 3 1.0 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................. 4 1.1 Environmentally Sustainable Transport.....................................................................................................4 1.2 Towards Achieving Environmental Sustainable Transport ......................................................................6 1.3 Sustainable Transport - Changing Our Way of Thinking.........................................................................9 1.4 Global Warming, Greenhouse Gases and Pollution.................................................................................12 1.5 The Pacific Context .....................................................................................................................................15 1.6 Samoa – A Background ..............................................................................................................................16 1.7 Previous and Current Studies on Transport in Samoa............................................................................19 2.0 TRANSPORT SECTOR INSTITUTIONS, POLICIES AND LEGISLATION ....... 21 2.1 The Framework...........................................................................................................................................21 2.2 Efficient Transport Management in PICs.................................................................................................22 2.3 The Land Transport and Road Sectors in Samoa ....................................................................................22 2.4 Ministry of Works, Transport and Infrastructure...................................................................................23 2.5 The Infrastructure Asset Management Programme ................................................................................24 2.6 Continuing Efforts in the Area of Institutional Strengthening (TISRSS)..............................................26 2.7 Legislative Review .......................................................................................................................................28 2.8 Transport Control Board ...........................................................................................................................28 2.9 Role of Planning and Urban Management Agency ..................................................................................32 2.10 Ministry of Police, Prisons and Fire Services............................................................................................34 2.11 Ministry of Revenue....................................................................................................................................37 2.12 Ministry of Finance .....................................................................................................................................37 (i) IPA ‘Engineering & Management Consultant’ South Pacific Geoscience Commission (SOPAC) SAMOA COUNTRY REPORT National Consultant Report on: OCTOBER 2005 Promotion of Environmentally Sustainable Transportation in the Pacific Islands 2.13 Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and Meteorology.......................................................40 2.14 Transport Related State-Owned Enterprises............................................................................................41 2.15 Accident Compensation Corporation ........................................................................................................41 2.16 Electric Power Corporation........................................................................................................................42 2.17 Samoa Shipping Corporation.....................................................................................................................42 2.18 Polynesian Airlines......................................................................................................................................42 2.19 Other Transport-Related Organizations...................................................................................................43 2.19.1 Petroleum Products Supplies...............................................................................................................43 2.19.2 Public Service Vehicle Associations ....................................................................................................43 3.0 LANDS TRANSPORTATION ISSUES AND CONCERNS ................................ 44 3.1 A World-Wide Problem..............................................................................................................................44 3.2 Road Fatalities and Injuries are Preventable ...........................................................................................47 3.3 Accidents by Vehicle Type..........................................................................................................................51 3.4 Accident Locality.........................................................................................................................................54 3.5 Environmental Impacts ..............................................................................................................................57 4.0 THE SAMOAN TRANSPORT SYSTEM ............................................................ 60 4.1 Right Hand Drive Vehicles .........................................................................................................................61 4.2 Heavy Vehicles and Goods Transport .......................................................................................................61 4.3 Public Transport .........................................................................................................................................66 4.3.1 Buses.........................................................................................................................................................66 4.3.2 Taxis .........................................................................................................................................................69 4.4 Private Transport........................................................................................................................................70 4.5 Pedestrians, Cyclists and the Disabled ......................................................................................................72 4.6 Ferry Transport...........................................................................................................................................75 4.7 Air Service....................................................................................................................................................77 5.0 FUEL SUPPLY AND DEMAND ......................................................................... 78 5.1 Overview of Fuel Situation in Samoa ........................................................................................................78 5.2 Fuel Supply Arrangements for Samoa ......................................................................................................80 5.3 Fuel Costs.....................................................................................................................................................82 5.4 Fuel quantity and Quality...........................................................................................................................85 5.5 Aviation Fuels ..............................................................................................................................................88 5.6 Liquid Petroleum Gas.................................................................................................................................88 5.7 Offshore Oil Exploration ............................................................................................................................89 5.9 Energy Efficiency in Transport..................................................................................................................90 (ii) IPA ‘Engineering & Management Consultant’ South Pacific Geoscience Commission (SOPAC) SAMOA COUNTRY REPORT National Consultant Report on: OCTOBER 2005 Promotion of Environmentally Sustainable Transportation in the Pacific Islands 5.9 Alternative Fuel Sources.............................................................................................................................91 5.10 Biofuels.........................................................................................................................................................92 6.0 RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................................................................................95