ABSTRACT. We investigate the extent to which travel demand varies by gender, particularly for women, with the introduction of high-quality transport in urban Ethiopia. A total of 1,000 couples in Addis Ababa were recruited to receive an intervention that offered vouchers for on-demand, private taxi services over a two-month period. The voucher recipient in each household was randomized such that the voucher was distributed to either the woman alone, the man alone, or the couple together. Additionally, the total voucher amount was randomized such that recipients either received a low amount (30 USD) or high amount (80 USD). We find significant gender differences in mobility, with 80 percent of men traveling daily or almost every day compared to less than 40 percent of women. Women whose work requires travel choose workplaces that are closer to their residences. Women who received the transport service alone spent, on average, more per trip than men who received the service alone, suggesting they might have traveled longer distances. We find no significant differences in voucher take-up, total trips made, and the proportion of credit spent, suggesting that the improved transport option may have contributed to closing the physical mobility gap.

ABSTRACT. The study explores the use of Virtual Reality (VR) technology as a powerful tool to assess and improve safety perceptions among vulnerable public transport users. Utilizing VR simulations, researchers aim to create immersive scenarios that replicate real-world public transport journeys, including walking to transit infrastructure, waiting at stations, and onboard vehicles. These simulations enable participants to identify safety concerns and provide valuable insights to design targeted interventions. Drawing from the SHE CAN tool, which lists various interventions to combat sexual harassment in public transport, the research will focus on four infrastructure and four vehicle design interventions. Virtual simulations will be developed using 3D modelling software and real-world transport infrastructure data, enabling participants to engage with various transportation scenarios. The study will involve recruiting vulnerable PT users through community partnerships and social organizations. Participants will wear VR headsets and interact with the simulated environment, mimicking their actual commutes. Data on participants' reactions, behaviours, and verbal feedback will be collected during the VR sessions, and qualitative and quantitative analysis will be conducted. Through thematic analysis of interview data and behavioural data, the study aims to identify common safety perception themes among participants. Based on these findings, targeted interventions and design recommendations will be proposed to enhance safety and inclusivity in public transport. These interventions may involve infrastructure improvements, lighting enhancements, wayfinding, and landscaping. The ultimate goal is to validate the proposed interventions through expert reviews, focus groups, and involvement with transport authorities, thus advocating for the adoption of VR technology in transport planning and design. By addressing safety concerns and promoting inclusivity, the study aims to ensure that public transport infrastructure effectively serves all its users, particularly the vulnerable populations in African cities.

ABSTRACT. The paper explores gender and power relations in transport sector in Nairobi City, Kenya. Data was collected from 2484 women using public transport in Nairobi. Findings reveal that a major concern for women using public transport is their safety and security. 46% of women commuters felt most unsafe while using public transport at night or early morning. Majority of respondents had either witnessed or experienced harassments while using public transport. Women’s harassments revolve around disputes over payment of fares such as overcharging and not giving change (87.2%); verbal and other forms of emotional abuse (82.9%); and sexual harassment (52.2%). Harassments mostly happen in matatus and are perpetrated by the male matatu crew. To ensure the safety of women commuters, it is important to work with all relevant stakeholders to enhance the level of professionalism and discipline in the transport sector. It is also important to empower women commuters to speak up and report incidents of harassment while commuting. At a policy level, this study recommends a multi-stakeholder and integrated approach in mainstreaming gender issues in transport, especially in dealing with harassment, including sexual harassment and abuse, in the public transport sector in Kenya. 

ABSTRACT. Women traders who deal in perishable goods could be found daily sitting with their goods mostly in uncomfortable and unsafe open pick-up vans, the relatively low road enforcement has increased risk. This paper evaluates the transit safety of these women in the last-mile supply chain in metropolitan Lagos. It has examined their profiles, evaluated their transportation structure, and it intends to determine necessary interventions that could induce an increase in transit safety. The study relies on empirical evidence gained by convenient sampling through structured questionnaires administered at different market locations. Also, evidence-based observations were employed to document vehicular types, level of maintenance, and goods conveyed. The findings show that vehicular type is the major factor responsible for accidents. The paper recommends that purpose-built vehicles should be made available for freight transportation. It advocates policy interventions that will reinforce welfare schemes for women; ensure safety, security and equity in food distribution

ABSTRACT. Walking continues to be the primary mode of transportation in many sub-Saharan African cities, despite the prevailing challenges and safety concerns associated with walking conditions. The escalating presence of motorized traffic in these cities has further intensified the obstacles faced by pedestrians. In many regions of Africa, individuals rely on walking as their primary mode of transportation out of necessity and affordability, rather than for accessibility, safety, or enjoyment. While several studies have examined the state of walking infrastructure in Africa, this research aims to address a crucial knowledge gap by focusing on the quality of walking infrastructure in secondary cities across the continent. The objectives of the study are two-fold: first, to evaluate the quality of walking infrastructure along specific roads in Nakuru and Jinja; and two, to explore the experiences and perspectives of users regarding the quality of walking infrastructure in these two cities. By employing a mixed methods approach, the study revealed that the Pedestrian Level of Service (PLOS) was generally poor for the majority of roads in Nakuru and Jinja. The walking conditions were consistently described as unpleasant and unsafe, particularly for individuals living with disabilities (PLWDs). In light of these findings, the study puts forth two key recommendations. Firstly, it suggests the need to raise awareness about the concept of non-motorized transport (NMT) and emphasizes the importance of developing a comprehensive NMT policy. Secondly, the study highlights the significance of investing in inclusive walking infrastructure that caters to the needs of all user categories.

ABSTRACT. This study presents a comprehensive review of walkable road investments in the state budgets of Southwestern Nigeria. With a growing awareness of the importance of walkability in promoting public health and well-being, this study analyzed the allocation of funds for pedestrian-friendly infrastructure in the state budgets of Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, and Ondo. Using a qualitative-deductive research approach, the study examines the budgetary provisions over the past five years to identify trends, disparities, and priorities in walkable road investments. Additionally, the research investigates the extent of community engagement and consultation in decision-making processes related to pedestrian infrastructure development. The findings of this study show a significant evolution and trends in pedestrian-friendly infrastructure allocation across the Southwestern Nigerian states during this period. Also, community engagement and consultation have been moderately integrated into the decision-making processes concerning the allocation of funds for walkable road projects in the state budgets of Southwestern Nigeria. Based on these findings, the study recommends amongst others that policymakers should strive to ensure a more equitable distribution of resources for promoting walkability across all states in Southwestern Nigeria. Also, consideration should be given to the specific needs and challenges of each state, regardless of their economic status, to foster inclusive and sustainable development.

ABSTRACT. Viewed through the lens of walking, we analyse the contribution of an urban transformation (UT) to the Right to the City (RTTC). Walking as a mode of transport is a potential ‘equalising mode’ because of its relation to social, economic and environmental inequalities. Therefore, understanding an urban transformation through the effects on walking is a mean to reflect about the contribution of a UT to the RTTC. The case is a land titling project in Maputo that led to the transformation of alleys into streets. Through interviews and secondary information about the process of UT the study focuses on the material changes of the area of intervention. We illustrate the effect of this transformation via a geolocated survey of the diverse experiences and perceptions of walking of the inhabitants of the two areas intervened, in contrast with those of residents and pedestrians in other parts of Chamanculo C, the studied neighbourhood. We consider the diversity of pedestrians, acknowledging that the same urban environment is experienced and perceived differently by individuals with different intersectional sociodemographic characteristic. We found that regardless of their location people in Chamanculo C have walking as their main way of transport, for men more than for women and for those that more frequently face insufficient income to cover their basic needs. The findings suggest that physical interventions in the walking environment drive urban transformations contributing, albeit in different ways, with the ability of diverse individuals to exercise their RTTC.

ABSTRACT. Urban street infrastructure (USI) influences pedestrian well-being and walkability, impacting the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal Eleven (SDG 11) agenda for safe, resilient, inclusive, and sustainable cities. Using Kotokuraba Street in Cape Coast, Ghana, as a case study, the study adopts a mixed methods approach, which includes a literature review, questionnaires, observation, and physical measurement. Despite Kotokuraba Street being characterised by high pedestrian traffic, findings reveal that Kotokuraba Street is not well connected and inclusive, posing pedestrian safety and security concerns due to motorised transport dominance. The street lacks essential pedestrian infrastructure, such as crosswalks and sidewalks, thus compromising pedestrian safety, including persons with disabilities, which indicates that the needs of pedestrians were not taken into account in the street design. The study recommends proper street planning, pedestrianisation, and the adoption of a street design manual that promotes designing urban street infrastructure that is universally accessible, safe, secure, convenient, efficient and well-connected to enhance walkability and pedestrian wellbeing.

ABSTRACT. While over the past two decades the interest in the relationship between street and road design and walking has been steadily increasing in the Global North, there is relatively little empirical research on the topic in the Global South (GS). This paper reviews this limited body of literature in an effort to determine the state of the knowledge and draw up a research agenda. Applying a systematic literature review approach, we identified 17 relevant articles from the databases of Scopus and Web of Science. Most of these papers were published in the last three years. In terms of geography, the studies covered only 10 out of the 78 GS countries, with most studies conducted in Asia and only one in Africa. The studies covered features of sidewalk design (17 studies), carriageway design (12), and crossings (7). Studies largely confirmed findings from the Global North, although studies also reported some surprising findings, suggesting that Global North knowledge should not automatically be considered as “valid” in the Global South. We recommend more studies on this topic especially in Africa, where the vast majority of the population is forced to walk in an environment that can be described as “unwalkable”. Such research can contribute towards the development of more inclusive roads that meet the needs of all users.

ABSTRACT. The study compares road national road safety culture (RSC) among bus drivers in Norway and Ghana, based on bus driver survey data in the two countries (n=285 and 281), interview data (n=11 and 19) and field work. The point of departure is the very different road safety contexts in the two countries; with Norway being a high-income country with the best road safety level in the world, and Ghana as a low-income country with a four times higher road fatality rate than Norway. We compare national RSC in the two countries, to examine factors that might explain the different levels of road fatalities. Our results indicate an RSC with more traffic violations, especially aggressive violations, among drivers in Ghana than in Norway. We also find a relationship between RSC and aggressive driving style and between aggressive driving style and accident involvement. Thus, our study indicates that national RSC is important, as it is related to road safety behaviours, which in turn is related to accident involvement. Interview data indicates that the bus drivers in Ghana describe the traffic they typically drive in as hectic, stressful and bad. We suggest that this may be related to factors influencing road user interaction, e.g. overcrowded roads during rush-hours due to insufficient capacity and poor road infrastructure. Fieldwork data indicate a more chaotic traffic picture in Ghana than in Norway, at least in urban settings, with a road system that is less in line with safe system principles, and a higher tolerance of risk.

ABSTRACT. In developed countries, road traffic crashes have decreased because of interventions such as identifying accident-prone locations and taking measures to treat them. This research was aimed at detailing blackspot diagnostics, ranking and analysis in Ghana. The study took place on all trunk roads in the Eastern Region. The crash data of the region, for the period 2016–2020, was retrieved from the national road traffic crash database to form the main source of data. Firstly, a general analysis of the data was undertaken to have an overview of the crash situation. The blackspots were identified using a strip map/ kilometre post system. The expected value analysis was calculated and locations with values higher than expected were classified as blackspots and were ranked. Two methods, that is, the Annual Accident Total (AAT) and the Equivalent Accident Number (EAN) were used for the ranking. Comparing the AAT and the EAN methods showed that they were giving different results. After identifying the worst sites, detailed analysis of each of the locations was carried out to identify the problems using the stick analysis. Site studies were conducted to collect supplementary data to the relevant summaries (stick analysis). To reduce the high rate of road traffic crashes, the integration of engineering solutions, road safety education, and enforcement of traffic laws and regulations must be prioritized. Monitoring and road safety audits must be regularly conducted to identify and mitigate all safety issues. Improvement on roadway blackspots must be prioritized by road agencies.

ABSTRACT. Passenger falls in bus transport are the most prevalent source of personal injuries in bus transport. Investigating different factors that influence passenger falls is an important first step in beginning to mitigate these injuries. In this study, we interviewed and distributed surveys to Ghanaian (n = 281) and Norwegian (n = 285) bus drivers, investigating whether framework conditions, driving styles, and more impacted how often the drivers experienced passenger falls. We found that Norwegian drivers report considerably fewer passenger falls than Ghanaian drivers. Stress and pressure, as well as bus driving experience, are the strongest predictors of passenger falls. Driving longer routes is also related to passenger falls. The number of dangerous intersections and stops is also a predictor of passenger falls, but not when stress is accounted for. We find no statistically significant association between others aggressive driving and passenger falls. We argue that experience, stress and pressure on drivers is not a cause for passenger falls, because these factors cannot reliably be altered to improve passenger safety. Instead, they can be seen as good indicators of passenger falls. Although the research is cross-sectional and therefore cannot establish causality, we argue that framework conditions such as being exposed to fewer dangerous intersections and stops, as well as longer routes with fewer stops lead to fewer passenger falls.

ABSTRACT. Road Traffic Crashes have remained a serious public health issue for decades, especially in low- and middle-income countries, and the current trends indicate that this will continue into the future. This study aims to investigate road user perception of road safety in low-income countries with attention to the population who drive public or private motor vehicles in Kampala city as a case study. Five components of drivers’ perception of road safety were determined by means of Principal Component Analysis (PCA) using 53 attitudinal statements collected during the survey. The identified components include Road safety enforcement and education, Speed limits and road surface conditions, Road/railway level crossings and facilities, Driver behaviour at signalised junctions, and Road environment and vehicle safety features. Respondents were clustered based on their sociodemographic characteristics using Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) as well as hierarchical and two-step cluster analysis methods; the analysis revealed three groups of segments in Kampala city, namely Private car drivers, Male public transport drivers and Male motorcycle drivers. Finally, Multinomial Logistic Regression (MLR) methods were applied to investigate how the level of perception on identified components varied across three sociodemographic segments. Male motorcycle riders associated road safety with road safety enforcement and education, as well as speed limit and road surface conditions, while male public transport drivers perceived road safety in terms of road safety enforcement and education, road/railway level crossings and facilities, driver behaviour at signalised junctions, and road environment and vehicle safety features.

ABSTRACT. As a rapidly urbanizing city, Nairobi requires an urgent and sustainable solution to the mobility needs of its rising population. Its ad hoc paratransit system, composed of ubiquitous minivans called "matatus," has proven difficult for the government and city authorities to govern due to the challenges linked to the political economy surrounding its public transportation. This is the case in many developing countries whose cities have a significant paratransit system. The challenges due to the political economy in Nairobi include the large and distorting role of external actors in the transportation sector, the fragmentation in regulatory institutions, the closed and top-down planning processes, and the absence of social justice components in the planning and implementing of transport infrastructure projects. This research analyzed the factors influencing the delayed implementation of Nairobi's proposed BRT as a case study of challenges facing planning for sustainable public transportation within developing countries.

ABSTRACT. At the current rate of rapid urbanization and motorization in many African countries, it is unsustainable to continue relying entirely on paratransit systems thus the need to reform the current urban transport sector. One major reform of choice is the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system which is often seen to replace the paratransit operators. The proponents of the BRT system have focused more on the technical aspects and less on inclusion concerns and the politics surrounding the adoption of the system. This paper examines how governance affects policy design for inclusive urban transport, using a case study of the BRT in Tanzania. The paper further discusses key policy action areas and develops a conceptual framework for an inclusive BRT system with a wide range of policy measures. The results emphasize the need to consider paratransit operators as part of the solution in the urban transport reform process. This requires extending government support to the fragmented paratransit operators in terms of capacity building to actively participate in future BRT operations. The findings from the Dar-es-Salaam BRT and the lessons drawn could be widely informative for the BRT establishment across many African cities with similar contexts.

ABSTRACT. Growing motorization and vehicle ownership contributes to traffic congestion in cities around the world, especially in developing countries. This phenomenon is necessitating the need for innovative transportation solutions particularly in urban areas. One of such innovations is the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system which has gained popularity over the years notably in Latin America, Asia and gradually in Africa. Whilst some city authorities have been successful in its implementation, others have failed due to financial, political, regulatory and institutional challenges, the latter being the less discussed in literature. In this paper, we studied the implementation of a BRT project in Accra which started in 2008 with system deployment expected by 2012. Almost a decade after the start of the project, the BRT system could not be realized as planned; but was launched in 2016 as a Quality Bus Service (QBS) without dedicated bus lanes. We sought to explain the institutional factors which affected the implementation of the project with theoretical support of the institutional thickness concept. Findings on implementation state were compared between the original period of implementation (2008-2012) and the pilot phase (the period after 2012 until the QBS was launched in 2016), making a link to changes in institutional thickness over the two periods. The study revealed that the institutional thickness during the original phase of the project was relatively lower than in the pilot phase proving that the improved institutional thickness over time accounted for some gains made in the pilot phase.

ABSTRACT. Although public transport represents a large share of daily trips, most of the service is provided without government regulation, the service is of low quality affecting safety and comfort, and there is limited to no social protection for the operators in the Global South. Some cities have shifted gears by adopting bus rapid transit (BRT) as a comparatively more affordable public mass transit system. Today, 188 cities have implemented BRT worldwide. From these, 46 BRTs are in Europe, 22 in United States and Canada, 64 in Latin America, 45 in Asia and 6 in Africa. The BRT momentum has globally declined in recent years whiles it has been difficult to implement them in Africa despite the need for mass transport services for the growing urban human population. This situation is peculiar to cities with low public transport regulations and large paratransit services. This paper analyses the planning concepts and challenges behind BRT implementation in the Global South and offers a plausible approach for addressing the challenges. The paper offer policy options for addressing the challenge of (1) designing BRTs (2) managing competing modes (3) funding BRTs and (4) institutional and legislative restructuring required to improve mass transport services in cities with low public transport regulation.

ABSTRACT. Sustainable urban transport is crucial for sustainable urban growth. Cities in Africa are experiencing increased traffic growth because of urbanisation, and this is increasing congestion, travel time, and levels of air pollution. With the United Nations Climate Change target of reaching NetZero by 2050, many cities are looking to embrace the use of sustainable transport options, including electric vehicles (EVs). Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) provides a sustainable and effective means to move larger numbers of people; however, there is little research considering the sustainability of feeder systems that provide access to MRT. This research investigates the accessibility to Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems in four major African cities to determine the potential market for EVs in their respective feeder networks through a systematic literature review. Lessons on trunk-feeder system of BRT are gathered from South American cities which have more established BRT services. Research reveals that the current access modes to BRT stations such as the use of two and three wheelers and other paratransit modes are not sustainable as they contribute to traffic congestion and air pollution. Consideration of barriers and drivers to EV adoption from literature reveals that three main methods are typically used for identifying both factors and they are hypothesis-based method, ranking method, and choice modelling. The barriers and drivers show that there is a significant potential for EVs to form a part of sustainable MRT provided a proper strategy is employed.

ABSTRACT. Availability of safe and reliable transport infrastructure and services is essential for economic growth and a balanced distribution of economic and social benefits. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 11 calls for the establishment of inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable cities and communities that enable citizens to advance socially and economically without compromising the future. Target 11.2 indicates that by 2030, countries should provide access to safe, affordable, accessible, and sustainable transport systems for all, improving road safety and expanding public transport, with special attention to the needs of vulnerable situations, women, children, persons with disabilities, and older persons.

Using the 2 African Secondary Cities, as a case study, this paper examines the application of Socially Just Public Transport Pillars in local governments development plans and programs. The study employed a mixed-methods approach including qualitative and quantitative data. Community survey interviews were conducted with 400 respondents, 20 key informants and 4 focus group discussions. Results indicate that both Cities authorities have plans towards a Social Just Public Transport but fail in implementation. Elements of a SJPT are understood and incorporated in planning and strategies, though in practice, this is not explicit. The public transport system in both cities is not inclusive. All the respondents agreed that the facilities are not accessible for the invisibles, especially the pedestrian foot bridges and the bus stops. For the invisibles, accessing public transport is impossible. Both countries failed in the sustainability component with high levels of air and noise pollution caused by motorized transport. A notable effort to improve the walking environment was observed in both cities. The paper recommends that policy makers in the two cities implement the plans that they have which will contribute to a social just public transport.

ABSTRACT. When relating mobility to justice and/or equity, research often centre on equitable distribution of resources encompassing material, spatial and financial resources. However, the inherent spatial differences between various localities means that resources cluster in some areas more than others, resulting in spatial inequalities. Assessing justice, therefore goes beyond merely considering fair distribution of resources and necessitates a focus on risks and misfortunes that individuals are exposed to and how these are distributed within society. This research delves into the shared risks and misfortunes inherent in daily urban travel, revealing the underlying injustices that some groups of commuters are exposed to more than others. Using road accidents data between 2015 and 2018, the research investigates the risks in mobility using a four-dimension network that encompasses spatial, modal, individual and temporal dimensions. The findings highlight the reality that pedestrians are exposed to higher risks of fatal road crashes annually. These risks exhibit spatial concentration along specific transportation corridors within neighbourhoods, with a discernible gender disparity, wherein more working-class men than women are exposed to fatal risks. The tragic misfortune of these road crashes is the loss of breadwinners or key contributors to their families, often leading to deeper poverty for the affected households. This disconcerting revelation emphasizes the imperative to address pedestrian safety as an issue of justice within Nairobi’s urban mobility landscape.

ABSTRACT. Studies of accessibility have advanced our understanding of social and spatial inequalities in the distribution of urban resources in cities worldwide. In response, prominent discourse has shifted to embedding justice in urban planning, although indicators at the neighbourhood level are still lacking. In this work, we take a step towards developing specific indicators that quantify spatial justice based on ethical principles of Egalitarianism, Utilitarianism and Rawls’ Egalitarianism. We show how these can be leveraged to steer accessibility planning toward socially just outcomes by applying them to urban network models of transportation, land use and street configuration, created from open-access data in the Netherlands, Mexico and South Africa to evaluate neighbourhood accessibility to places of employment. We find that shorter commuting times reveal local centres, highlighting the role of local mixed land use. Whereas increased access to global centres and mass transportation play more of a role for longer commutes. The results highlight how spatial justice is both scale and value-reliant and a result of various contextual factors. The methodological innovation presented here is based on principles of reproducibility. It allows the opportunity to bring moral clarity to strategic planning decisions, as well as being a valuable tool for comparative juxtaposition of different urban contexts, highlighting shared universal or diverse contextual factors that give rise to spatial justice as iterations of a singular phenomenon.

ABSTRACT. Lack of transportation constrains aspirations for livelihoods, trade, and entrepreneurial activities and access to essential services. This paper focuses on the concept of mobility poverty and social exclusion, by examining the social consequences of in-access and the ways in which individuals are unable to participate in key life-enhancing opportunities due to mobility poverty. The paper also explores the role of bicycles in mitigating the consequences of mobility poverty. Based on a comparative study of two African secondary cities in two different regions (Kakamega in Kenya and Zomba in Malawi, the research employs a mixed methods approach. Qualitative data was collected from key informant interviews covering six to seven interviewees per location, with representatives from government institutions and NGOs. In each location, three focus group discussions (FGDs) were held. Quantitative data was collected through an intercept survey covering 170-200 persons per location, randomly sampled, with a 50% split across gender. Transcripts from FGDs and KIIs were analysed thematically, and quantitative data using descriptive and bivariate analysis. Inability to travel emerged as a notable consequential outcome of mobility poverty. Besides inability to travel, anxiety around travel, loss of family connections or social engagements, and lack of access to income generating opportunities and essential services, are some of the key consequences of mobility disadvantage. Access to bicycles has the potential to meet transportation needs of the marginalised, reduce travel times, and improve access to services.

ABSTRACT. Prevailing methods of transport planning focus on the functioning of transport systems rather than on the services people receive from those systems. In line with this perspective, and as epitomized by the four-step model, road congestion has been seen as the main transport problem, and investments to ease congestion are given priority. This approach, still very dominant in the Global North, has de facto caused the gradual emergence of transport-related social exclusion, as it has ignored the mobility and accessibility difficulties by people with limited or no access to private motorized transport. This work proposes a new transport planning approach called transport justice. Transport justice focuses on providing transport interventions to sections of a community that are most deprived of the service. A real case study of the city of Blantyre is discussed in the work.

ABSTRACT. The paper evaluates paratransit travel time-related characteristics and assesses the impact of a combined stops and dwell time restriction policy on the travel time along a chosen route in Kumasi. A travel time survey onboard paratransit vehicles on the chosen route using a mobile app was used to collect GPS trace, stop-related, and trip event data. Travel time-related variables such as variation in travel time, dwell time per stop, stops per km, etc. were calculated for the study route, and the various components of the travel time were quantified. To assess the impact of the proposed policy, a travel time prediction model was developed, and sensitivity analysis was carried out to determine the impact of varying levels of reduction in the target variables on travel time. The proposed regression-based model performed reasonably well when tested against a validation dataset using the root mean squared error (RMSE) and mean absolute percentage error (MAPE). All cases of reduction in the number of stops and dwell times per stop evaluated in the sensitivity analysis yielded a reduction in travel times against the base case scenario, thus suggesting the proposed policy holds promise. The study suggested adopting one of the tested cases whose restrictions in number of stops and dwell time per stop still accommodate about 80% of the number of stops currently being made by the vehicles where no restrictions exist but yield a travel time savings of about 16 minutes against the base case scenario.

ABSTRACT. The minibus taxi industry transports by far the largest number of public transport passengers in South Africa. With limited information regarding the extent of their operations and passenger counts not providing sufficient information on the mode’s network coverage or passenger turnover, GPS tracking has proven to be a helpful tool in this regard. The information that can be extracted from GPS data pertaining to minibus taxis has not been fully explored. The objective of this paper was to determine the minibus taxi vehicle trip count per street segment from GPS tracking data within the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality which was then used to determine minibus taxi routes and corridors. This paper has developed a data-driven methodology to illustrate minibus taxi trip counts from GPS data. The process included data inspection, identification of limitations, and detailing the methodology followed to count and sort the trips per street segment using a database and illustrating the counts in QGIS. Road segment trip count data can be used in various activities within the transport planning and traffic engineering spheres including the identification of the main minibus taxi public transport routes, corridors with high minibus taxi volumes, and intersections along minibus taxi routes that could potentially be upgraded.

ABSTRACT. There has been a surge in the use of paratransit including minibus, two and three-wheelers, and other variants in Sub-Saharan African cities. Despite being characterized as unsafe; they continue to address a greater percentage of urban travel demand. Amidst the ongoing debate to integrate public bus and paratransit services, there is a need to understand the current performance of the existing modes operating in mixed traffic. The present study attempts to evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness measures of paratransit services using two-stage data envelopment analysis (DEA). In the first stage, efficiency and effectiveness scores for paratransit services along two corridors were evaluated. In the second stage, conventional DEA efficiency scores were corrected for bias by bootstrapping and regressed against a set of operational indicators. Data collection included videography, onboard vehicle, user perception, and operator surveys. A total of 1,119 drivers and 647 passengers were intercepted, and 150 onboard trips were made. Data were analyzed in STATA and deaR software programs. Findings revealed that as compared to low-capacity modes, relatively high-capacity modes are more efficient and effective in terms of revenue-generating vehicle kilometers traveled and daily ridership. Efficiency was found to be positively influenced by passenger density, speed density, and daily operational hours. Stop density had a significant negative impact on paratransit services. These findings provide an opportunity to develop more precise planning strategies to increase the performance of paratransit services especially for cities moving towards integrating informal public transport into the mainstream transit planning and policy processes.

ABSTRACT. Travel time reliability is a transport system performance measure that captures the consistency or variability in travel time from origin to destination by any mode of transport. This paper presents an investigation of travel time reliability for the formal Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and the informal paratransit (minibus taxi) services running on a common corridor in Johannesburg, South Africa. Paratransit and the BRT are two major modes of public transport in major cities in South Africa like Johannesburg. This study employs field collection of travel time data through onboard surveys along bus corridors that have both the BRT and paratransit services running on them. Among the objectives of the investigation is to quantify the travel time reliability of these two modes using the set of reliability indicators as proposed by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) US Department of Transportation. The study also aims to gain some insight into the critical factors that impact delays and overall travel time for the modes and to propose some measures that could improve reliability. The implication of the measured travel time reliability indicators for overall journey time planning for trip makers and bus operators is also discussed.

ABSTRACT. The primary objective of this study is to explore the mobility obstacles experienced by marginalized individuals in Cape Town who seek to engage in discretionary activities outside of peak public transportation hours. Specifically, our aim is to unravel the intricacies that shape mobility patterns within township communities and to clarify the factors influencing township residents' involvement in evening-based discretionary pursuits. Existing knowledge of the issue indicates that individuals in peripheralized townships in Cape Town face challenges in accessing transportation for work, education, and healthcare during the peak hours of public transportation. However, there is a noticeable gap in the literature, as limited attention has been directed towards understanding the transportation needs of peripheralized people outside of the peak operational times of public transportation.

This study is guided by concepts from time geography, transportation justice and behavioural geography. The selected theoretical frameworks inform the research questions and methodologies employed in this study. We present a case study of 6 township neighbourhoods located in the amaphela-operated area. The amaphela-operated area in the Cape Flats is chosen due to its status as a fringe area in the city as well as the fact that it helps to highlight the stark place-based “mobility void” in the area. For instance, the amaphela taxis form one of the study area's primary transportation modes, especially unique to these townships chosen specifically for this study. In this study, we utilize a thematic data analysis approach to examine information gathered from fifteen in-person interviews conducted with participants who report to engage in discretionary activities from within, as well as outside of their neighbourhoods. The study furthermore explores theoretical and empirical literature related to the multifaceted challenges that township-based commuters encounter, particularly in accessing evening-time social and cultural activities.

The research, conducted through qualitative methodologies and an interpretivist approach, offers valuable insights into the complex challenges faced by township-based commuters in accessing evening-time social and cultural activities. The identified themes, encompassing reasons for transport use, life enhancement, impediments to access adequate public transportation, social exclusion, and aspirations, contribute to a nuanced understanding of the experiences of individuals residing in townships encompassing the amaphela-operated area.

This study contributes a conceptual framework which sheds light on the experiences of township-based people who rely on public transportation to travel during the off-peak period. The study outcomes reveal a compelling narrative that resonates with the ideal of creating inclusive urban environments.

The significance of this study lies in its ability to provide a deeper understanding of the factors influencing individuals' decision-making regarding transportation for participation in discretionary activities. By addressing this gap, we can gain insights into how these decisions are influenced by personal choices or external constraints, thereby enhancing our comprehension of mobility dynamics among marginalized populations. Our recommendations encompass targeted public transportation services as a way for improving peripheralized people’s travel especially during off-peak times. We additionally list some administrative suggestions that may influence future policy directions for the City of Cape Town to implement.

ABSTRACT. African cities are undergoing rapid demographic growth and spatial expansion. The satisfaction of essential needs depends on everyday mobility and the conditions under which it is performed. The majority of the population relies on walking and public transport (PT) services. Based on the case study of Dakar, this paper adopts a people-centric perspective on PT in African cities, investigating how urban residents use PT to meet their everyday travel needs, the difficulties they encounter and how they adapt their travel behavior to overcome these difficulties and fulfill their mobility needs. A mixed method is employed, utilizing a Household Travel Survey carried out in 2015 and 38 semi-structured interviews with Dakar residents conducted in 2022-23. The results show that the quality of PT services is perceived as low and the various PT services and motor vehicles all have major shortcomings. These deficiencies in the PT system reinforce the difficulties urban dwellers face in their daily travels. They must adjust their trips in real-time by changing mode, time or even destination, or plan their trips in advance in order to limit financial and temporal costs or to gain enough money to cover travel expenses. The risk, otherwise, may be staying at home. Modal choice is not determined by the formality or informality of PT modes but by what the modes offer in terms of access to the city. These findings emphasize the necessity of considering mobility needs of urban residents into transport public policies.

ABSTRACT. This paper considers the way in which marginalized individuals in two peri-urban areas in Sub-Saharan Africa decide which transport mode to use – whether walking, riding a bicycle, taking a bicycle taxi, taking motorized transport, or avoiding travel altogether – and the implications for transport investments and interventions. The research uses both qualitative and quantitative data, and took place in the second half of 2022. Three structured focus groups were conducted in each city, comprising 8 people each. Six key informant interviews were conducted in Zomba (Malawi), and seven in Kakamega (Kenya). Our findings are that individuals engage in routine decision-making and calculate trade-offs when determining which transport mode best meets their needs – day by day, trip by trip. In Zomba, individuals make decisions about transport primarily on cost, trip purpose (particularly whether they will be carrying loads, or accompanying children or others in their care), distance, urgency, convenience, and availability (to a lesser extent). Topography and the weather play a role. Gender constraints also influence decision-making, as do capability and knowledge constraints. We therefore propose a re-visiting of the veracity and value of a narrative of choiceless, ‘captive’ pedestrians forced into arduous walking by poverty, if the high walking mode shares in Africa are to be retained. Among the study participants, individuals walk relatively short distances, but take wheeled or motorized modes when distance or trip purpose requires it, and when the trade-offs are deemed worth it. We propose that understanding these decision-making points will improve the way in which strategies are designed and implemented to retain walking mode shares, and constrain the movement toward increasingly unsustainable motoriziation.

ABSTRACT. INTRODUCTION Considerable research attention has been focused on the long-term effects of COVID-19 movement restrictions on remote working, shopping and schooling (amongst other activities), and associated impacts on trip reduction and the utilisation of transport infrastructure and services (cf. Barbieri et al., 2021; Aaditya and Rahul, 2023; Nikolaeva et al., 2023; Yang et al., 2023). Consequently, there is growing insight into possible long-term travel behaviour impacts amongst households with jobs that can be performed remotely, with the resources to support home-schooling, and with the disposable incomes needed to engage in the burgeoning global online retail economy. Comparatively little research attention is being given to impacts of lockdown policies amongst households with unstable income streams derived from the informal sector, casualised manual labour or social grants, with home environments unsupportive of home education, and with little or no disposable income. This paper will explore the long-term impacts of COVID-19 policies on the livelihoods and travel behaviour of such households, in the context of Cape Town (South Africa), with some benchmarking with equivalent experiences in Sao Paulo and the Ruhr region that constitute the larger project on which this is based. It does so by interrogating two interrelated questions: Firstly, how has COVID19 affected accessibility and social-spatial inclusion of marginalized groups?; and second, how the COVID19 impacted on long-term travel behaviour of marginalized groups? Through mobility biographies collected using a questionnaire-driven mapping tool called 'Maptionnaire', the findings of this paper seek to understand the impact of disruptions on travel behaviour at the household level.

LITERATURE REVIEW The outbreak of the COVID19 pandemic significantly altered the way people move and acquire their livelihood in cities, and thus on their access to mobility and travel behaviour. The pandemic brought some mobilities to an abrupt halt, while it drastically reorganised others (Adey et al., 2021, p. 1). As an essential part of urban life, mobility shapes an individual’s opportunity to access work, education, leisure, inter alia (Golash-Boza and Menjívar, 2012; Logan et al., 2018). For many decades, the places of livelihood—collectively referred to in this research as places of income generation, education, shopping, socializing, and any other activity considered necessary for the livelihood and wellbeing of individuals in the city—have been attached to a physical place. The resulting disruptions from the COVID19 pandemic intensified already existing inequalities and highlighted the relationships between mobility and immobility (Adey et al., 2021). Prior to the pandemic’s enforcement of lockdown restrictions, the burden of transport and travel-related social exclusion were disproportionately high on poor households living on Cape Town’s periphery. Pandemic restrictions likely worsened this marginalisation. The pandemic resulted in different approaches by governments in various countries from laissez-faire approaches to shutdowns of entire public transport systems (Koehl 2020). During the pandemic these measures affected various social groups in different ways. Arguably, marginalized individuals—particularly those with lower income—bore a greater burden of accessibility due to the limited availability of public transport, upon which a majority depended to get to their places of livelihood (cf. Bonaccorsi et al., 2020). In our research, we categorize marginalized groups based on the key components that generate or amplify accessibility-related exclusion. These are understood to include, but not limited to low income (Fol et al. 2007; Matas et al. 2009; Tao et al. 2020), higher age (Páez et al. 2009), physical and mental disabilities (Casas 2007; Burkhardt and Kerschner 2007), women (Iqbal et al. 2020; Plyushteva and Boussauw 2020), remote localities with poor transport connections (Church et al. 2000; Lee and Lim 2009), and lack of access to private automobile (Allen and Farber 2020; Mattioli 2014).

The impacts of the pandemic on travel behaviour have received growing attention (Barbieri et al., 2021; Aaditya and Rahul, 2023; Nikolaeva et al., 2023; Yang et al., 2023). In Cape Town, as well as across South Africa more broadly, secondary data on mobility patterns from the period of lockdown restrictions revealed a decline in trip generation, particularly trips to public transport stations, and increased home-based activity participation (https://www.covid19sa.org/southafricacovid-19interactivemap). The resulting impacts on travel behaviour thus merit closer attention. The extent to which the pandemic affected travel behaviours of marginalized groups in the recovery from COVID19 and future pandemics is an area of focus for this research.

METHODOLOGY This research is qualitative in nature and seeks to understand how the pandemic has affected long-term travel behaviour of selected marginalised households through an exploration of their livelihoods, mobility, and accessibility before, during and after the pandemic. The in-depth retrospective interview instrument will use the tablet-based Maptionnaire tool (https://maptionnaire.com). This household level analysis is based on narrative mobility biographical interviews with 100 adult household representatives sampled from Wards in the city of Cape Town: Ward 101: Kraaifontein (encompassing Bloekombos, Belmont Park and Wallacedene); and Wards 37-38: Nyanga. Selection of these wards is based on their ranking in the Provincial Indices of Multiple Deprivation (StatsSA, 2001) and thus their relative degree of marginalisation. The resulting mobility biographies will be analysed within the context of larger changes and disruptions to service availability associated with COVID19 lockdown regulations and their economic impacts.

FINDINGS The analysis of data from mobility biographies is intended to deepen and broaden our understanding of a) the direct and indirect effects of the pandemic on accessibility and social-spatial inclusion of marginalized groups in Cape Town; and b) the direct and indirect effects of the pandemic on long-term travel behaviour of marginalized groups in Cape Town. First insights suggest that marginalised groups have suffered most from the pandemic and related lock-down rules. However, knowledge on the complex ways in which the pandemic and lockdown rules affected their travel behaviour and livelihoods through both direct mobility restrictions and indirect effects of reduced mobility on the functioning of other infrastructures and services as well as access to income generating activities, merits greater attention. The same applies to the specific ways marginalised groups coped with these effects, e.g. through virtual technologies. Anticipated findings will help to highlight the changing roles of physical access for urban marginalised groups and the resulting impact on travel behaviour. Based on these analyses we will recommend measures toward equitable mobility accessibility that support and improve the resilience of marginalised groups in Cape Town.

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ABSTRACT. Traffic fatalities are a primary cause of premature deaths globally, and pedestrian casualties are a significant component of this problem. This problem is exacerbated by the involvement of children pedestrians who are more vulnerable than adult pedestrians; UNICEF notes that traffic deaths are the leading cause of premature death for children between 5 and 19 years old. Pedestrian and driver behaviour are two elements that influence crash likelihood but the role of the built environment in shaping that behaviour is increasingly recognised. In considering how the built environment influences road-user behaviour, most available literature focuses on drivers. There is less research on pedestrian behaviour and almost none on child pedestrians. This paper compares the physical attributes of the road environment around 19 schools in the Cape Town area, and the behaviour of drivers and child pedestrians at each school. The schools were selected based on their proximity to high levels of pedestrian crashes historically; ten are associated with very high pedestrian crash rates and nine with extremely low rates. Significant differences were found in the physical road environments between the two groups, with notable deficiencies in road sign/markings, speed management, and the placement of pedestrian crossings in the high crash areas compared with the low crash areas. The exposure of children to risks was strongly reflected in this division, with children in high-crash areas demonstrating significantly higher levels of risky behaviour like crossing at informal crossings, walking/playing in the road, and needing to take evasive action from vehicles.

ABSTRACT. School children generally walk to and from school predisposing the occurrence of road traffic crashes in low and middle-income countries. In these countries such as Ghana, Malaysia, and Nigeria pedestrian facilities especially footbridges are provided to minimize pedestrian-vehicle interaction which may result in pedestrian crashes. School children using or not using these footbridges exhibit certain behaviour exacerbating the occurrence of pedestrian crashes. The study aims to investigate how school children use footbridges in Ghana. A total of 8056 school children were observed during a seven-day period in the vicinity of seven footbridges in the Greater Accra (6) and Kumasi (1) Metropolitan areas, Ghana. Five behaviours were observed together (i.e. being accompanied, running, wearing earpieces, carrying a piece of luggage and riding a bicycle) with demographic and contextual factors. Most of the school children who used the footbridges was talking among themselves, wearing an earpiece, or being accompanied. A binary logistic regression was fitted to predict the five behaviours using the demographic and contextual explanatory variables. The results revealed that gender, location of the footbridges, day of the week, time of observations, being accompanied, wearing of the earpiece, carrying a piece of luggage and riding a bicycle were significantly associated with the use of footbridges in Ghana. The findings of this study have significant policy implications for the development of targeted education and footbridge policing.

ABSTRACT. Girls with disabilities are found in all human civilizations. There are nearly 240 million children living with disabilities worldwide, which translates to 1 in 10 children. In most cities in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), "girls with disabilities" (GWDs) are invisible, unheard, and not important. They face multiple barriers to realizing their rights, including institutional barriers, physical barriers, and attitudinal barriers such as discrimination, stereotypes, stigmatization, ableism, etc. 9 out of 10 GWDs do not go to school, while it was found that just 1% of women and girls with disabilities are literate in LMIC cities. Among other things, the lack of inclusive and safe mobility options has been identified as a significant barrier that affects school attendance and, by implication, the educational attainment of GWDs in cities in LMICs. Mixed-methods research (MMR) was adopted to achieve the aim of this study. The study had a sample size of 99 respondents, which cut across all categories of disability, such as physical impairment, visual impairment, hearing impairment, and learning impairment. Findings revealed that physical and built environmental barriers, attitudinal barriers, and psychological barriers interact to exclude GWDs from the urban public road transport system. As a result, school attendance and completion among public school girls with disabilities were severely hampered. In order to boost inclusive mobility and safety for GWDs, the study recommends prioritizing school bus services, dedicated seat reservations on government mass transit, support for assistive mobility devices, and inclusive mobility policies.

ABSTRACT. A large number of South African scholars walk all the way to school on a daily basis (18.5 million pupils). These scholars are exposed to a significant road safety risk, especially during their trip back home in the afternoon. Some 26% of all pedestrian fatalities in the country are children and young adults under the age of 19 years, according to the Road Traffic Management Corporation (a national level government agency). As part of the international Trans-Safe consortium investigating road safety in Africa, the Route2School tool was utilised in the Cape Town context. The Route2School tool is a road safety assessment tool developed by the Transportation Research Institute at the University of Hasselt and ABEONA Consult. Its primary mission is to have zero road casualties and a safe commuting environment for scholars while traveling to their educational institutions. This is done by doing a thorough analysis of the road safety infrastructure and scholar travel behaviour along these routes. The three schools studied are in areas of different socio-economic environments, but each school still has road safety concerns around the school. Scholars in Pinehurst Primary school (affluent) traveled by car, whereas the majority of pupils at Bergrivier NGK Primer (rural) and Chuma Public Primary School (township) walk to school, either alone or with friends. The main road safety concerns experienced by scholars who walk to school are speeding, the absence of pedestrian sidewalks and a lack of crossing facilities. Furthermore, in some cases scholars have a fear of criminal activity in the school precincts.

ABSTRACT. Introduction

Globally, commercial motorcycles have surpassed 770 million, mainly employing youth. In Tanzania, motorcycles make up 59% of the total vehicle fleet, reaching 90% in rural areas, contributing to a spike in accidents. Despite popularity, safety challenges persist, causing 28% of global road fatalities in 2016. In Dodoma, Tanzania, interventions lack systematic approaches and comprehensive training. In 2023, the Global Youth Coalition for Road Safety sponsored the Knowns Awareness for Commercial Motorcyclists project, applying the PRECEDE-PROCEED model for effective road safety awareness, aiming for a broader impact in Tanzania.

Literature Review

Road safety education is vital for motorcyclists, especially in Dodoma, Tanzania, where most commercial motorcyclists aged 18-29 show adequate knowledge but low compliance with safety measures. Tanzania employs campaigns like "Aibu yako, hata wewe!" and "Usalama Barabarani na Uraia - UBU" to promote responsible road behaviour. However, a lack of comprehensive studies on commercial motorcyclists' safety needs hinders tailored awareness campaigns. This paper aims to apply the successful PRECEDE-PROCEED model for brief road safety campaigns, focusing on reducing injuries and fatalities in Dodoma and Tanzania.

Methodology

The Dodoma commercial motorcyclist awareness campaign (bodaboda) took place from April 2023 to April 2024, following the PROCEDE-PROCEED model. In the "PROCEDE" stage, road safety issues were diagnosed through data collection, stakeholder consultations, and analysis in key areas of Dodoma. Surveys involving 250 male commercial motorcyclists were conducted using SPSS 28.01 software for quantitative analysis, while key informant interviews and field observations underwent content analysis for qualitative insights. The selected areas ensured comprehensive representation. Moving to the "PROCEED" stage, interventions included policy changes, regulatory measures, infrastructure improvements, educational campaigns, and environmental enhancements. Road safety clubs and bonanza programs were introduced for continuous education, support, and incentives, aiming for sustained improvements in road safety practices among commercial motorcyclists in Dodoma.

 Result and Discussion

The self-report results revealed that over 90% of participants had yet to attend any driving schools, raising concerns about the level of formal training among motorcyclists. Analysis of the age groups indicated that the youth, mainly those between 25 and 34, were more likely to be involved in road accidents. Interestingly, most motorcyclists demonstrated a good understanding of the main factors contributing to road accidents, with approximately 80% acknowledging these attributing factors.

Conclusion:

Urgent evidence-based road safety campaigns are needed in Dodoma, Tanzania, targeting motorcycle safety, especially for the youth lacking formal training. A focused approach under the PROCEED model, emphasizing driving training, can potentially reduce accidents, offering a model for broader national and global road safety efforts.

ABSTRACT. Although motorized two- and three-wheelers are affordable, fast and can travel on poor road conditions, their negative consequences cannot be ignored. This study seeks to investigate the trend and compare the nature of crashes involving motorized two-wheelers and three-wheelers (comprising rickshaws and tricycles). Crash data for the twenty-year period, 2002-2021 and the accumulated number of registered motorcycles were used for the trend analysis. Data for the four-year period, 2018-2021, was used for the comparative analysis of the different types of motorcycles. To determine whether there are differences between the variables, chi-square (χ²) tests were performed on the crash data for the various motorcycle modes to assess statistical significance. From the analysis, motorcycle is now the riskiest mode of transport in Ghana contributing 31.7% of fatalities in 2021 from a 2.7% share in 2002. Fatalities among motorcyclists increased by over 1800%, the highest of any road user type during the period. The two-wheelers constituted 85% of all the deaths with tricycles and rickshaws representing 13% and 2%, respectively. Fatalities among the different types of motorcycles varied with gender, age, time of day, day of week, collision type, region, type of ridership and number of vehicles involved in collision. A policy framework is required by the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) to regulate commercial motorcycle operations which have fast become part of the commercial transport system, albeit illegal, in all parts of the country. The police should ensure the strict enforcement of crash helmet wearing among the two-wheelers to reduce fatalities.

ABSTRACT. Crowding in trains is a form of discomfort, and when perceived as too much of a burden, passengers will look for avoiding measures, and might eventually stay away. Some level of crowding would be acceptable, as long as it stays below accepted norms, which are studied in this paper for regional (case Gautrain) and metropolitan rail systems (case PRASA Metrorail). A first attempt could be made to spread passenger demand over the available capacity, by providing regular service intervals and evenly spread train capacity, informing passengers on quieter coaches in the same train or a next train, or persuade people to avoid the peak by fare differentiation. However, it is observed that the availed capacity may then be taken by other passengers, and peak ridership growth is capped, resulting in latent demand. Therefore, the best way to accommodate overcrowding is to provide more capacity; then latent demand and trend growth can be accommodated unconstrained, and such additional capacity will almost completely be taken up. The Gautrain case shows that accepted crowding is not determined by contract norms (which state a Load Factor of 1.5), but by what passengers deem acceptable (a LF of 1.2, at 2 pass/m2 ); which is in line with Western-world regional train systems. PRASA Metrorail, which is mostly used by lower-income Captive passengers, could allow for higher accepted crowding at 4 pass/m2 . However, PRASA will be modernising their system, also aiming to attract Choice Users, who would have a lower tolerance towards crowding. For this reason, a differentiation in comfort class (and fare price) could be opportune.

ABSTRACT. Fatigue has been identified as a significant contributing factor to a considerable number of accidents involving professional drivers in road transport. To effectively implement measures to control this critical risk factor, it is crucial to develop a comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing driver fatigue. In this study, we interviewed and distributed surveys to Ghanaian (n = 281) and Norwegian (n = 285) bus drivers, examine the factors influencing fatigue among professional drivers in Norway and Ghana, focusing on the role of national road safety culture and work pressure. We found that Norwegian bus drivers report considerably fewer incidents of dozing off or falling asleep during the past 3 months compared to the Ghanaian bus drivers. Norwegian drivers where on average older than the Ghanaian drivers, and the Ghanaian drivers drove longer weekly driving distances and had longer working hours. Aggressive driving culture, longer working hours, and having fixed pay were associated with increased fatigue, but these associations disappeared when accounting for the country of residence. Amongst drivers that are not self-employed, stress and pressure also played a considerable role in fatigue. Ultimately, the country of residence had the most significant influence on the likelihood of drivers falling asleep or dozing off, with Norwegian drivers being considerably less likely to experience this. We argue that because fixed pay, driving culture and working hours has a strong correlation with country, the country variable obscures the effect of the other variables. Although we argue that working hours, culture, and payment structure is the more likely causal reason, cross sectional research cannot establish which possibility is valid.

ABSTRACT. Lagos State is one of Africa's most populous cities. It is one of the world's most crowded mega-cities that is now experiencing severe transportation problems as a result of rapid urbanization and population growth. In view of this, the study examined emerging technologies and transportation systems in urban cities in Africa, with specific reference to Lagos State, Nigeria. The study employed the interpretivism philosophy and qualitative approach in data collection and analysis. Primary data were generated mainly through key informant interviews and secondary data were gathered from the internet, journals, newspaper editorials, papers on transportation policy, and other government publications. Directors and Deputy Directors in the Lagos State Ministry of Transportation were the subjects of key informant interviews. The content analytic approach was used in analysing the data collected. Findings of the study revealed that Lagos State is currently working on building and modernising its transportation infrastructure to accommodate its megacity's rising population. The study concluded that public-private partnerships (PPPs) can assist the government to mobilize resources for project design and implementation, improve service delivery, and drive innovation in the transportation sector. The study further asserted that collaborations between the government, technology companies, and transport operators can drive transformative change. The study therefore recommended among others that the State government should invest massively in transportation infrastructure, and also prioritised the importance of data in making informed transportation policy decisions.

ABSTRACT. This paper examines the effect of increased and decreased transport expenditure on other household expenditures in South Africa using survey data from Statistic South Africa’s Living Condition Survey of 2015. Fractional regression models were used to estimate the effect of increased or decreased transport expenditure on the share of household expenditure on food, housing, clothing, recreation and education. The results indicate that increased transport expenditure decreases expenditure on the investigated expenditures - more so food and housing. The magnitude of the impact varies per settlement type, income group, household size and other household characteristics considered. The recommended target for cost of mobility support depends on which expenditure category the government aims to stimulate. It is recommended to implement strategies aimed at lowering the transport expenditure budget share of low-income households. The results show that if the transport expenditure budget share of low-income households is capped at 10% of total expenditure, then this will impact, from most to least affected, food (+1.30%), housing (+1.18%), clothing (+0.86%), recreation (+0.31%) followed by education (+0.08%).

ABSTRACT. Transport fares are a critical revenue stream for any sustainable public transportation system. The literature on public transport fares in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is very limited and it is unknown the fare structures used, how they are determined, and the factors considered. Accordingly, this study investigates the spatial disparities of public transport fares in the city of Kumasi, Ghana. Using a spatial analytic approach, we examined the extent to which fares are spatially dissimilar across routes based on travel distance, travel time, mode, economic status, and population. The study data was collected using the General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS)-like format, allowing the estimation of key performance indicators such as fare per kilometer traveled, fare per minute traveled, and average fare paid per passenger. Based on 48 routes, we found that one kilometer of travel distance attracts fares between 1 Ghana Cedis (GHS) and 8GHS, whereas one minute of travel time attracts fares between 1GHS and 6GHS. For each kilometer traveled, Taxi services charge 3.5 times for every GHS more than minibus (i.e. Trotro), whereas for each minute traveled, Taxi services charge 2.2 times for every GHS more than Trotro. Relationships with economic status show that economically disadvantaged populations pay more fares, travel longer distances, and spend more time traveling. Highly populated communities were found to relatively pay higher fares, travel longer durations, and over longer distances, but are associated with lower fare rates. The findings show that fares for paratransit services are inconsistent in Kumasi and are spatially differentiated by route, distance traveled, travel time, service type, economic status, and population density. There is limited evidence that fares are deliberately vague, however, fare disparities are the direct outcome of the existing systemic structural arrangement with paratransit, mostly built on underlying political economy, social injustice, labor exploitation, and lack of investment. It is recommended that transport authorities clearly communicate the rationale and the driving factors behind fare disparities to ensure transparency in pricing public transport services.

ABSTRACT. Background Sustainable Development Goal Five (SDG5) aims to achieve gender equality and empowerment of all women and girls by 2030. UN Women indicate, however, that without heightened commitment from the global community, gender equality will remain nothing more than an unrealised goal (https://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories/in-focus/2022/08/in-focus-sustainable-development-goal-5), stating that “the time to act and invest in women and girls is now”. This holds for the South African context too. Since the new South African government came into power in 1994, one of the major focus areas has been to address the ills of the past by developing an equitable society. The colonial era is when apartheid's institutionalised segregation began. The British colonial administration resettled racial groups in packed neighbourhoods in the late 19th and early 20th century under the guise of combating disease epidemics. Later, cities were designated ‘for whites only’, and ‘black’ townships became, in effect, the mechanism for housing the ‘blue-collar’ labour force. For the transport system, this engrained long commuter travel distances for persons of colour. The term ‘equity’ alludes to fairness and justice. While ‘equality’ refers to giving everyone the same thing, ‘equity’ involves realising that citizens do not start from the same position and that imbalances must be acknowledged and corrected. Neither gender nor race equity existed in South Africa at the start of the of the new democracy. Today, South Africa is regarded as the most unequal country on earth (World Bank, 2022). This paper assesses how equitable the South African transport system is, almost three decades after the new government came into power. The aim of this paper is to assess whether transport equity has improved in the South African context. Trend analysis based on various household surveys will be used to unpack gender and race-based differences in mobility.

Literature Review The transport industry is intended to be gender and race neutral. Examining how various demographic groups access public and private transport globally demonstrates that their mobility habits differ from one another. Research into the practice and planning of transport has consistently failed to apply a social science perspective in determining travel patterns, including the demonstration of a systemic lack of understanding of the gender (and race) based differences in system requirements that result in mobility deprivation (Lucas, 2004; Root et al., 2000). The discussion of diversity has not yet had a significant impact on mainstream transportation planning (Levy, 2013) and research on gender and race equity in the transport system is still comparatively underdeveloped in the global South. In South Africa, persons of colour consistently record low levels of social welfare and accessibility indices, despite the new democratic government's policy recommendations to redress spatial and socio-economic inequities. A strong correlation between income, poor accessibility and race remains (Behrens, 2004). In a study on racial differences in the Cape Town metropolitan area, Behrens establish significant different travel behaviour between respondents living in low-, middle- and high-income areas. While walking was the main mode of transport (61%) in low-income areas, this mode only accounts for 9% of trips amongst high-income area residents. Private car, on the other hand, meets the majority of mobility needs in high-income areas, i.e., 56% car drivers and 32% car passengers, while this is only 1% and 6%, respectively in low-income areas (Behrens, 2004). The question arises whether this is still the case, almost two decades later. Significant gender-based differences in travel behaviour is witnessed globally. McGuckin and Murakami (1995), for example established that adult women make more person trips than men of the same age group, and over 60% of married women in the USA that are part of the paid labour force, still fulfil substantial childcare and domestic duties. Women typically make more multiple stop trips, pay multiple fares, and travel significantly more during off-peak hours when public transport services are less reliable and waiting areas are less safe (Peters, 2002). Vance and Iovanna (2007), also studying gender-based transportation differences in the USA, established that gender differences are more distinct among younger individuals. In the African context, the urban poor are dependent on Non-Motorised Transport (NMT) and Public Transport (PT) for their mobility. Walking is the main mode, accounting for over 70% of trips in cities, such as Nairobi and Dar es Salaam, while in Cape Town just under 50% of all trips are NMT based. Informal and formal public transport trips in the three cities constitute around a quarter of all trips (Vanderschuren and Jennings, 2017). When analysing the road safety burden carried by the walking half of the population in Cape Town, it was established that they account for 57% of road fatalities in the city (Vanderschuren and Zuidgeest, 2017). A racial and gendered analysis of road safety incidents is presented later in this paper. Fear of crime is widely recognised as a barrier to public transport use for many travellers (Crime Concern, 2002; Delbosc and Currie, 2012). “Sexual harassment and assault on all forms of (in)formal public transport is an international daily occurrence. Overcrowding or isolation may enable sexual offences. For example, crowded, enclosed rush hour conditions on public transport vehicles may facilitate rubbing against a girl or woman and conversely women may also be vulnerable when public transport is largely deserted, or stations are isolated” (Allen and Vanderschuren, 2016). In developing countries, it is estimated that limited access to safe transport reduces female labour force participation by around 16.5% (Sum4All, 2019). Gender-based violence disproportionally affects females in Africa and around the world (Allen and Vanderschuren, 2016; Gekoski et al, 2015; Vanderschuren et al, 2019), contributing to the reduced mobility for women and girls. Vanderschuren and al. (2019) assessed gender-based travel behaviour differences in South Africa and Cape Town. In contrast to most literature, the study found only small gender-based differences for mode choice and travel times, even amongst the poorest quintile of the population. Even travel times did not significantly differ between males and females. This prompts the question if this is a trend that has changed over the past two to three decades, or whether South African travel behaviour is at odds with the rest of the world.  Methodology This paper unpacks gender- and race-based differences in travel behaviour, road- and personal safety in the South African context. The analysis compares the reasons for not travelling, trip purposes, modal splits, travel times, and the perception of the transport system, including road- and personal safety aspects, and the changes to these aspects over time. The South African Household Travel Survey (SAHTS) is used as the primary source data with datasets for 2003, 2013 and 2020 available to the authors. Where appropriate, other available surveys, data and information will be used to strengthen the arguments and explain findings. The geo-spatial context underlying the data will also be considered in the analyses.

Preliminary Findings As indicated, previous analysis of the SAHTS (2013) described in Vanderschuren et al. (2019) revealed that there are only small differences in travel time between males and females. This is also the case in the 2020 SAHTS database. Comparing the four racial groups included in the SAHTS data, reveals that the Black African population group has the longest average travel times (36.6 minutes for males and 37.2 minutes for females). The Coloured population group has the shortest average travel times, i.e. 28.5 minutes for males and 28.2 minutes for females. The travel times for White males (29.4 minutes) and females (30.3 minutes) are also similar to each other and only slightly longer than the average travel times for the Coloured population group. Interestingly, the only statistically significant travel time difference is in the so called Indian/Asian population group, where males travel 27.7 minutes on average, which is the lowest of all population segments, while females travel 36.7 minutes on average, which is the second longest travel time (see Figure 1). Reasons for these differences will be explored and changes over time determined. This example serves to provide a sample of the analyses to be included in this paper.

Figure 1 Average Travel Time per Gender and Race, in minutes (SAHTS, 2020)   Summary Over the past decade, gender-based differences in the South African transport system have not followed the same trends as identified in the literature. The difference in finding for the Indian/Asian population is revealing and points towards racial differences still present in South African transport, 30 years after the country’s conversion to a democracy. Unpacking the (historic) data captured in SAHTS can shed light on the current state of equity in transport and reveal whether this has improved, deteriorated or remained unchanged for different demographic groups. The full paper will unpack the identified indicators in the methodology and elaborate further on this topic.

References Allen, H. and Vanderschuren, M. (2016). Safe and Sound, International Research on Personal Safety in Public Transport, Publisher: FIA Foundation, London, Research Series, Issue 6. Behrens, R. (2004). Understanding Travel Needs of the Poor: Towards Improved Travel Analysis Practices in South Africa, Transport Reviews 24:3, 317-336, DOI: 10.1080/0144164032000138779 Crime Concern (2002). People’s Perceptions of Personal Security and Their Concerns about Crime on Public Transport: Literature Review. Department for Transport, 2002. Delbosc, A. and Currie, G. (2012). Modelling the causes and impacts of personal safety perceptions on public transport ridership. In Transport Policy, Volume 24, November 2012, Pages 302-309. Gekoski, A., Gray, J., Horvath, M., Edwards M.A.H., Emirali, S., and Adler, J.R. (2015). What Works’ in Reducing Sexual Harassment and Sexual Offences on Public Transport Nationally and Internationally: A Rapid Evidence Assessment, Publisher: British Transport Police and Department for Transport, London, Available at: https://eprints.mdx.ac.uk/15219/. Levy, C. (2013), Travel choice reframed: “deep distribution” and gender in urban transport, International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), Environment and Urbanization Vol 25(1): 47–63. DOI: 10.1177/0956247813477810 Lucas, K. (2004). Transport and Social Exclusion: A G7 Comparison Study. FIA Foundation for the Automobile and Society, Paris, France. http://www.fiafoundation.org/../social_exclusion.pdf. McGuckin, N., and Murakami E. (1995). Examining Trip-Chaining Behavior. A Comparison of Travel by Men and Women. Working Document, Undated. https://nhts.ornl.gov/1995/ Doc/Chain2.pdf. Peters, D. (2002). Gender and Transport in Less Developed Countries: A Background Paper in Preparation for CSD-9. Background Paper for the Expert Workshop, Gender Perspectives for Earth Summit 2002: Energy, Transport, ‘‘Information for Decision-Making. ’’Berlin, Germany, 2001, pp. 10–12. Root, A., Schintler, L., and Button, K. (2000). Women, Travel and the Idea of ‘‘Sustainable Transport’’. Transport Reviews Vol. 20, No 3, 2000, pp. 369–383. Sum4All (2019). Global Roadmap of Action Toward Sustainable Mobility: Gender. Sustainable Mobility for All. Available at: https://thedocs.worldbank.org/en/doc/229591571411011551-0090022019/original/GenderGlobalRoadmapofAction.pdf. Vance, C., and Iovanna, R. (2007). Gender and the Automobile – An Analysis of Non-Work Service Trips. Ruhr Economic Papers, No. 11, Rheinisch-Westfaelisches Institut fuer Wirtschaftsforschung (RWI), Essen, Germany, 2007. Vanderschuren, M. and G. Jennings (2017), Non-Motorized Transport Travel Behaviour in Cape Town, Dar es Salam and Nairobi, in Non-Motorized Transport Integration into Urban Transport Planning in Africa, Published by Routledge, Ed. W. Mitullah, M. Vanderschuren and M. Khayesi, pp 11-26, ISBN: 9781472411402. Vanderschuren M. and M. Zuidgeest (2017), Road Safety and Non-Motorized Transport in African Cities, in Non-Motorized Transport Integration into Urban Transport Planning in Africa, Published by Routledge, Ed. W. Mitullah, M. Vanderschuren and M. Khayesi, pp 57-72, ISBN: 9781472411402. Vanderschuren, M.; Phayane, S.; Gwynne-Evans, A. Perceptions of Gender, Mobility, and Personal Safety: South Africa Moving Forward, in Transport Research Record 2019, Volume 2673, Issue 11, pp. 1-12, DOI: 10.1177/0361198119854087. World Bank (2022), Inequality in Southern Africa: An assessment of the Southern African customs union, The World Bank, Washington DC. Available at: https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/099125303072236903/pdf/P1649270c02a1f06b0a3ae02e57eadd7a82.pdf In focus: Sustainable Development Goal 5 | UN Women – Headquarters or https://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories/in-focus/2022/08/in-focus-sustainable-development-goal-5?gclid=Cj0KCQjwyLGjBhDKARIsAFRNgW_gCSz9u0swmZI1TUK9CR9TL24R8aWP5T3D_e_53-BsaipvkOEnB_IaAntNEALw_wcB

ABSTRACT. Urban public transport service in Mozambique operates mostly (75%) in the informal sector. The reduction of employment opportunities associated with the low qualification of workers leads to labour marginalization. Previous studies analyse policies and strategies to find a balance between the demand and supply of urban transport. This study sparks debate about the quality of employment of urban public transport crews to find grounds to support the design of initiatives, strategies, and policies for the development of the passenger transport service. A questionnaire was administered to 363 workers for two days in the main transport terminals in Maputo. The study concludes that 83.6% of the bus's crews do not have formal contracts, which makes their jobs unstable, precarious, stressful, and dependent on the attainment of daily income level. Consequently, they seek to maximize the daily revenue rather than assuring the quality of the service. The study contributes to the academic and political debate in searching for alternatives to the degradation of the urban transport service in Mozambique. Additionally, it also reinforces the need to formalise passenger transport work as a way of improving its quality.

ABSTRACT. Labour conditions for paratransit workers in Sub-Saharan African cities are typically exploitative, precarious, and stressful. These conditions inevitably contribute to dangerous driving behaviour and poor quality of service. The aim of this paper is to explore whether improving driver labour conditions can improve quality of service, from a passenger perspective. It investigates the nature and strength of relationships between paratransit driver labour relations and quality-of-service. Data from a (n=7 407) paratransit passenger survey, administered in five case cities (Accra, Cape Town, Freetown, Kumasi, and Maputo), takes the form of ordinal Likert scale ratings of paratransit service attributes. Descriptive statistical analysis found that drivers remunerated through a daily ‘target’ system without representation in collective industry organisations, provide less satisfactory services than drivers remunerated through variations of ‘commission’ and part-salary systems with collective representation. An ordinal logistic regression model estimated that the odds of passengers being more satisfied (instead of very dissatisfied) with the overall quality of service provided by a driver remunerated under a part-salary and ‘commission’ system, are 3.99 and 2.11 times that of service provided by driver remunerated under a ‘target system’, respectively. It is concluded that better treated drivers provide better quality services. Paratransit improvement strategies should therefore include interventions that improve vehicle crew working conditions and labour relations.

ABSTRACT. In Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) the rapid and market-driven spread of the motorcycle taxi in the last two or three decades has made it the dominant means of (intermediate) transport in most urban (and rural) settings. Using primary data collected in five SSA countries, as part of a VREF study, this paper investigates the various MCT business models that have emerged and their implications for the overwhelmingly male operators, opportunities for introducing female operators and for the role of policy-makers to regulate, modernize, formalize and support the sector. Opportunities for key stakeholders and policy makers to learn from each other – both ‘best practice’ and what does not work – remain limited at national level, let alone at regional level. This study shows that there are – despite some differences – many similarities between the MCT sector’s operational model and their challenges, so there should be ample opportunity to learn from each other to improve the quality of this now essential mobility service.

ABSTRACT. This paper investigates the intricate landscape of public transport preferences in Harare, Zimbabwe using a latent class choice model. Our analysis uncovers two distinct latent classes; one valuing affordability and another emphasising service quality. Tailoring public transport services to these latent classes emerges as a pivotal strategy. Class-specific interventions, ranging from cost-effective public transport options for affordability-focused commuters to premium services for quality-conscious travellers, have the potential to enhance user satisfaction. Moreover, addressing peak-hour challenges through innovative solutions like carpooling and rideshare services during congested times can significantly enhance transport efficiency. Spatial disparities in class allocation underscore the significance of location-informed policies, allowing cities to optimise routes and infrastructure development for improved accessibility and convenience. Finally, the paper advocates for fare structures and subsidies aligned with commuters' willingness to pay, promoting public transit's financial sustainability and equitable access to opportunities. This research advances our understanding of public transport preferences in Africa and offers critical insights for policy development and urban transport planning.

ABSTRACT. Accessible transport services facilitate persons with disabilities (PWDs) engagement in various life-enhancing opportunities with implications for attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) relating to ending poverty and hunger, promoting well-being, and reducing inequalities. Research on transport services in Accra has reflected mainly the general population’s travel concerns, leaving the travel patterns, behaviour, and journey experiences of minority groups like those with disability. Using Deming’s sample size calculator, 230 PWDs comprising 67 blind, 68 deaf and 96 physically challenged were engaged through their respective disability organisations. An auditing scheme and a questionnaire were deployed using smartphones and tablets. Data were cleaned to ensure no missing data and wrong data entries. Analysis was executed via SPSS version 26 to generate descriptive statistics and Relative Importance Index (RII) highlighting key challenges confronting PWDs. Open-ended questions were coded with MAXQDA (qualitative data analysis) and used as anonymous quotations to complement the quantitative results. The data revealed that trips for religious activities, health care and social engagements were PWDs’ top travel patterns. However, the study observed challenges in the walking environment to the transport terminals, bus floor height and internal design, and the absence of support services as key mobility/travel challenges of PWDs in Accra. The study recommends educational campaigns to enlighten transport operators and city authorities (urban planners inclusive) on PWDs’ mobility/travel challenges as this would form the basis to ensure the enforcement of relevant transport-related laws in Ghana’s Disability Act. This study improves the body of literature on commuters’ travel issues as it explores’ the journey experiences of Accra’s disability community who have largely been ignored in various transport planning schemes in Ghana.

ABSTRACT. Road traffic injuries are a major public health crisis in developing countries, with schoolchildren being more vulnerable as they travel from home to school, and back home afterwards. This research sought to capture the transport-related challenges faced by pupils and their needs during their daily school trips to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. A mixed method was used, where parents and pupils used questionnaires, and teachers were interviewed to better understand pupils' problems. The findings showed that the main problems are due to poor road design, lack of knowledge about road safety for pupils, and poor public transport. Suggestions for better transport conditions were given priority by parents, pupils, and teachers.

ABSTRACT. This paper presents a framework and methodology for evaluating active mobility to and from school (AMTS) programs in urban settings of low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in the global south, focusing on Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). Grounded in implementation research, the methodology aims to understand the acceptability, impact, feasibility, and adaptability of AMTS programs among secondary school adolescents aged 10 to 16 in diverse socio-spatial environments. By fostering equitable partnerships between consolidated experiences of AMTS programs in Bogotá, Colombia, and a context of no prior interventions in Maputo, Mozambique, the paper promotes co-production of implementation research knowledge and capacity across contexts. NCDs pose a significant burden on global public health, particularly in LMICs, and adolescence is a critical period to address risk factors. AMTS programs hold potential to reduce NCD risks among young people and improve their quality of life in the future. Implementation Research (IR) examines processes surrounding the adoption and execution of policies and interventions, aiming to facilitate informed selection, determine optimal strategies, identify essential components, and discern failures. Determinant frameworks outline factors impacting implementation outcomes, aiding in strategy selection, hypothesis generation, and outcome explanation. Challenges such as time constraints and budget limitations are being addressed through the implementation research framework, while opportunities lie in constructing flat organizational structures and leveraging diverse stakeholder insights.The OWS project, guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR), focuses on assessing health and equity impacts of AMTS interventions in Bogotá and Maputo. Work packages include examining AMTS appropriateness, acceptability, and health impacts, piloting interventions, and developing comprehensive methodologies incorporating citizen science. Collaborations with local government agencies facilitate engagement with stakeholders and underscore the project's commitment to achieving sustainable outcomes. Overall, this paper contributes to advancing implementation science in LMICs and underscores the importance of context in evaluating public health interventions.

ABSTRACT. This paper explores the nexus between urban spaces mobility and access, and children safety in Nairobi and Kumasi cities. It is based on research conducted in Kenya and Ghana between 2020 and 2021. Guided by Niel Brenner (2019) new urban spaces theory (Addie (2020) and the institutional approach, the study investigated whether urban spaces and infrastructure, as designed, enhanced children safe travel and mobility in Nairobi and Kumasi cities. This paper focuses on three specific study objectives that entailed: interrogating children transport safety policies and regulations in Kenya and Ghana; assessing travel needs of school-going children in Nairobi and Kumasi, mobility options and factors that influenced their choices; and exploring options for promoting safe travel and mobility for children. Data collection included documents review, children perception surveys, parents, and key informant interviews, transect walks, and focus group discussions. Most children walked to school because they lived near the schools, despite the urban spaces not being child friendly. Kenya has a school travel policy, but it does not cover all modes. In contrast, Ghana does not have such a policy, but the government educates school children on road safety. The challenges experienced by children were attributed to failure to use child lenses in conceptualisation, design and implementation of urban spaces and infrastructure; weak enforcement, fragmented state agencies and competing interests; and general ignorance on children safety measures. Hence, addressing these challenges require a multifaceted approach and recognition of the benefits of inclusive cities.

ABSTRACT. There is a growing interest in promoting active transport (AT) in urban environments. This is particularly envisaged to offer a significant opportunity for children to achieve enough physical activity to curb cardiovascular risk factors, enhance psychosocial well-being and improved bone health. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine socio economic correlates of active transportation to school among children in Nairobi City County. Methods: As part of the Physical Activity and Active Transport (PAAT) project, data was collected from a sample of 352 children of ages 10 – 12 years old. Socio economic factors affecting AT for the children was assessed using questionnaires. Results: The means for level of educational level in the three regions in Nairobi City; HSES (µ=4.48), MSES (µ=4.31) and LSES (µ=4.23) were higher significantly compared to the other socio economic determinants like motorcycle, bicycle and vehicle ownership which was less than 1 (µ<1). Active transport by the children was not affected by educational level across the three regions as noted (F=1.742, p=0.176). However, the other socio economic factors affected children’s active transport significantly as noted bicycle, motorcycle and vehicle ownership (F=76.548, p<0.0001), (F=99.456, p<0.0001 and (F=113.679, p<0.0001),) respectively. Tukey HSD test showed that the children’s parents/guardians level of education did not cause any difference of active transport within the region groups. Urban region crossed with MSES and LSES regions resulted in (p=0.397) and (p=0.171) respectively; MSES crossed with HSES and LSES resulted in (p=0.397) and (p=0.865) respectively and when LSES region was crossed with HSES and MSES, the results were (p=0.171) and (0.865) respectively. On the other hand, other socio economic indicators like ownership of bicycle, motorcycle and vehicle resulted in statistical significant differences across all the regions (p<0.0001).

ABSTRACT. The use of motorcycles as a means of public transport is beneficial to the public but also a major problem for casualties at public health facilities in cities, especially within the African region. Public health facilities across developing emerging cities are struggling with resources and manpower for the citizenry, and adding increasing causality rates to cases of motorcycle crash victims is not economical for the system. The government is making efforts to reduce the increasing number of motorcycle crashes reported at public health facilities, but these need a review over time. This study aims to assess the impact of the various policies implemented to reduce the number of motorcycle accidents in public health facilities across the state. Using the records of reported cases from January 2022 and February 2023 from the state government official records. An analysis of the case will be reviewed to determine the trend and if policies have affected the number of cases reported over time. Findings from the study review there is variance in the cases of motorcycle accidents ranging from January to December. This variance could be attributed to lots of factors. The study concluded with a recommendation to encourage policies to reduce the number of motorcycle crashes reported at public health facilities and crashes generally in the city. Major policies include an outright ban on motorcycles for public transport, the use of safety gear and strong implementation of traffic violations.

ABSTRACT. This paper revealed the travel pattern analysis of the elderly people in the Ikotun area of Lagos, Nigeria which entails the purpose of trips, their frequency of trips, and their mode choice of public transport. Findings from this study also show that there is no preferential treatment for the elderly in accessing public transport in the study area, hence making it difficult for them to travel around. A total of 250 questionnaires were administered to the elderly at the bus stations while waiting for public transport of which 200 were retrieved for analysis. During the data collection, it was observed that the bad condition of road infrastructure/ facilities (such as poor road network), lack of seats at the waiting station, lack of shelter, lack of bus garages/terminals, traders' encroachment on the road to display their wares, etc, is one of the major challenges the aging category faces while accessing public transport. However, the aim of this study is to improve the travel patterns and safety of the elderly in the study area noting the need for regular enforcement to stop traders from encroaching into the road to sell their goods, provision of seats at the waiting stations, provision of shelters, provision of pedestrians’ walking facilities, etc. Consequently, this research could also help in formulating transport management policy measures to improve public transport accessibility in the area of study.

ABSTRACT. Pedestrian crashes pose a significant challenge to road safety in Tanzania, particularly in the economically productive age groups. Ilala municipality, one of the districts within Dar es Salaam, has experienced a high percentage of accidents. This study aims to identify hotspot locations where pedestrian crashes occur and explore the contributing factors in Ilala municipal. To achieve this, the study employs Kernel Density Estimation (KDE) analysis to identify hotspot locations in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Additionally, binomial logistic regression is utilized to investigate the factors contributing to injury severity in pedestrian crashes within the Ilala municipality. 893 crash data were obtained from the traffic police report books for the years 2013 to 2021 and were utilized for the analysis. The study findings revealed several hotspot locations in Ilala municipal during the specified period, including Ilala, Jangwani, Mchikichini, Kivukoni, Mchafukoge, and Gerezani. Analysis on injury severity is classified into severe and minor injury. The significant factors identified at a 90% confidence interval include the vehicle type (motorcycle), age group (older group), day of the crash (weekdays), and impact area (crosswalks). To address the issue of pedestrian safety at Ilala municipal, the study proposed several countermeasures that focus on ensuring the safety of pedestrians. Overall, this study contributes insights into the identification of pedestrian crash hotspots and the factors influencing injury severity in Ilala municipality. The findings serve as a foundation for proposing interventions and policies aimed at reducing pedestrian accidents and enhancing road safety in developing countries such as, Tanzania.

ABSTRACT. This research paper presents a case study of the public transport system in Abuja, Nigeria, and the challenges faced by the city in providing efficient and reliable transportation services to its residents. Supporting the case study, the research draws upon a range of sources, including primary data collected through Google surveys from transport operators, government officials, and commuters, as well as secondary data from academic literature, policy documents, and reports by transport authorities. The paper examines the key factors contributing to the inefficiencies of the existing transport system. It also explores the impact of these challenges on the city's economy and social well-being. Data were gathered, and a logit model was designed based on the ten variables of public transportation access levels outlined here: accessibility, availability and reliability of bus schedules, safety, affordability of public transport, degree of comfort, speed on transit, waiting time, bus stops, and traveling time. The results indicate three key variables as the main indicators (78%). The Cronbach reliability test also shows the result to be greater than 0.5 for the alpha value. Furthermore, the paper delves into the potential benefits of implementing the proposed solutions in providing high-occupant vehicles for the residents of the city and re-designing a lite BRT lane for commuters to reduce travel time, ease congestion, improve accessibility to education, and create employment opportunities. Overall, this paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the challenges and potential solutions for improving the public transport system in Abuja, Nigeria. It offers valuable insights for policymakers, transport planners, and researchers interested in addressing the complex issues surrounding urban transportation in developing countries.

ABSTRACT. The quality of the bus service varies significantly depending on the time and space in which the journey takes place. Taking advantage of data collected from January to December 2022 through a fare collection system installed on all formal buses in the Maputo Metropolitan Area (MMA), this study examines the relationship between different travel patterns representing five urban zones in the AMM (Maputo City CBD, periphery of Maputo city, peripheral towns of Matola, Marracuene and Boane) with distinct land uses and bus operational factors associated with temporal variations in bus service quality (bus frequency, bus type and bus mechanical conditions). This is possible by considering a sample of 13,629 bus commuters who travelled in different months, namely February (peak rain), June (peak winter) and January (peak summer). For this purpose, a heatmap with a dendrogram of hierarchal clusters was used for statistical analysis. The result indicates that in February, operators allocate buses in a poor state of repair, particularly for those travelling within the peripheries. In June, demand for buses is low and operators provide a poor-quality service, regardless of the spatial pattern of journeys. In January, there is an increase in demand for buses and those travelling in Maputo's CBD are poorly served by public transport, while those travelling in the periphery are somewhat well served, the only concern being that they are served by high-floor buses that are difficult to board. These results can guide transport authorities in identifying where and when bus users are underserved.

ABSTRACT. The purpose of the paper is to provide a structural overview of literature on the introduction and history of trains in South Africa. This paper can serve as a basis for future research and also provide a framework for asking more precise and focused research questions. All research papers published in prominent public transport journals within South Africa and the world during the last 50-year period were scanned. Research papers pertaining to the field of public transport, in particular, rail transport were categorized, analysed in more detail, and qualitatively classified in accordance with selected dimensions. The review focused on research papers explicitly exploring the origin of the trains. The greater part of this research paper focused on how trains became a means of passenger transport. The majority of published papers on trains are based on light rail transit. Only a minority of research papers have an explicit introduction and history of trains. This paper is clearly non-paradigmatic in nature. This is the only literature review that provides a comprehensive overview of research on the introduction and history of trains in South Africa. Thus, it will be an aid in future research in the area of trains in South Africa.

ABSTRACT. Public transport planning in developing countries has evolved over the last few decades, with many transport institutions trying to invest in formal public transport systems to improve mobility and accessibility in the cities. The objective of this paper is to understand how three cities in developing countries, i.e., Santiago, Johannesburg and Cape Town have addressed heterogeneity in public transport design and provision. In transportation planning, heterogeneity refers to the existence of diverse characteristics, preferences, and behaviours among individuals and groups that influence transportation choices and needs. Whilst South African cities have been planning towards an integrated public transport network, using the BRT system as the backbone of an integrated system that provides high capacity, accessibility, and safety levels, Santiago introduced an integrated metro and bus system in 2007 which has been evolving and expanding since then. According to literature and interviews conducted with academics, city engineers and planners, there is evidence of demographic, spatial, temporal, mode choice, trip purpose and preference heterogeneity which need to be addressed to improve the public transport system in the three cities. The cities have learnt that there is a need to conduct more research to enable them to effectively identify and address the needs of different population segments. However, these measures have cost implications for the cities which makes it difficult for developing cities to implement them. A key lesson for South African cities is Santiago's fare integration structure and flat fare system which increased the overall public transport ridership and improved accessibility for the low-income group. This is necessary for cities with uneven spatial distribution especially in the developing countries.

ABSTRACT. Introduction This paper explores the intersectionality of mobility with existing development frameworks to investigate the complex and multi-dimensional nature of mobility poverty. The elements of mobility, availability, access, and use form the core of the model and highlight the urgent need to prioritise system transformation to achieve a state of ‘mobility security’. This paper is an extension of a broader research study that investigates the role of the bicycle in mitigating mobility poverty in Kenya and Malawi (Sambu, Jennings, and Myers 2023). The study presented the ‘bicycle usage framework’ as its primary analysis framework to evaluate the opportunities a bicycle offers to counter mobility poverty. Application of the ‘bicycle usage framework’ to the study findings and policy recommendations presented an opportunity to improve the content, scope, and theory of change.

We build on our learnings to present a revised model with an aspirational goal of ‘mobility security’, a state when all people have at all times, physical and economic access to appropriate transport options that are affordable, safe, and meet their desired travel needs and preferences in a gender appropriate and dignified manner (Sambu, Jennings, and Myers 2023).

Overview of the literature Mobility drives a desired transport mode, which, according to the literature, is heavily gendered, and characterised by socio-economic status, distance, terrain, safety, affordability, availability, and carrying needs (Uteng and Turner 2019; Lucas, Mattioli, Verlinghieri and Guzman 2016; Foley et al 2021; Aderibigbe and Gumbo 2022). Uptake of a mode of transport is driven by ‘availability’ (is the desired mode of transport available?), ‘access’ (is it physically and financially accessible?), and ‘use’ (is there capacity to use it? Does it meet user needs?). The literature defines ‘mobility poverty’ as the systematic lack of transport and mobility options (Lucas, Mattioli, Verlinghieri and Guzman 2016; Moore, et al 2013). A person experiences ‘transport poverty’ when, in order to meet basic needs, any one of more of the following conditions exist: the available transport is unsuitable to capabilities and conditions; the options don’t meet the required destination; the amount spent on transport reduces household income under the poverty line; travel time is excessive; and or travel conditions are dangerous, unsafe or unhealthy (Lucas, Mattioli, Verlinghieri and Guzman 2016). Transportation can facilitate access to the goods, services, markets, economic opportunities, and social networks that are essential for people’s wellbeing (Aderibigbe and Gumbo 2022; Lucas, Mattioli, Verlinghieri and Guzman 2016; Uteng and Turner 2019). Rural and low income communities rely on walking and cycling over long distances and face greater challenges carrying out daily activities due to lack of access to transport services (Lucas, Mattioli, Verlinghieri and Guzman 2016; Foley et al 2021). Rural communities have historically been left out of national transportation infrastructure and development (Aderibigbe and Gumbo 2022).

Mobility Poverty and Conceptual Frameworks The research includes the conceptual frameworks of sustainable livelihoods, market systems, food security, and the mobility donut. Each of these frameworks offer valuable insights, but also present limitations when applied to the concept of mobility. Concepts from each have been adopted and applied to development of the ‘mobility security framework’. Methods The study employed quantitative and qualitative data collection in two secondary cities, Zomba, Malawi and Kakamega, Kenya. Qualitative data was collected through Focus Group Discussions, Key Informant Interviews, and Participatory Action Research (PAR). Quantitative data was collected through intercept surveys at market centers or points of interest in the communities. The quantitative sample was stratified by gender, targeting 50% women respondents. Findings: Application of the Mobility Security Framework in Kakamega and Zomba to understand user needs and preferences At the core of the ‘mobility security framework’ are pillars of ‘availability’, ‘access’, and ‘use’. The characteristics of these three domains incorporate elements of the market system, livelihood capitals, empowerment and resilience. These three dimensions of transportation function in tandem; meeting all three for a mode of transport or system is a step towards mobility security. ‘Mobility security’, achieved through a suitable transport system, should be gender appropriate, sustainable, reliable and climate friendly. Transport inequity, the opposite state of mobility security, is the ‘unfair variation in travel behaviour between groups’ (Foley, et al 2021). In both Malawi and Kenya respondents travel to their place of employment, to the local market, to religious institutions, to the farm and to mobile money vendors. Respondents in Zomba spend double the number of hours (four) traveling than respondents in Kakamega. The most common mode of travel is walking and women reported walking at higher rates than men.

Availability of Transportation Options In Kakamega, respondents reported that mini-bus taxis and boda boda operators ‘prefer doing their businesses within the town’ suggesting for them there is a general unavailability of motorised transport. In Zomba, in contrast, people reported that the available modes of transport were unaffordable. In both communities, people felt their preferred means of transport was either unavailable or inaccessible.

Zomba, common travel destinations by mode of transport

Kakamega, common travel destinations by mode of transport

Accessibility of transportation Transport constitutes on average a third of household expenditure in Zomba. Specific to bicycles, in both Zomba and Kakamega, the cost of acquiring a bicycle was the greatest driver impacting low bicycle ownership rates. The cost of ownership, maintenance and spare parts, was the next biggest contributor. In Kakamega, unlike Zomba, the availability of bicycles emerged as one of the top three constraints to bicycle ownership. Respondents also indicated a use barrier: more women are unable to cycle than men. Disability was also cited as a factor by a few.

Factors underlying lack of bicycle ownership, Zomba. % All respondents % Men % Women Cost of acquisition 93% 91% 95% Cost of ownership – maintenance/spare parts 9% 10% 8% Not interested 2% 4% 0% Lack of bicycles available near me 2% 4% 0% Disabled/ physical 1% 0% 1% Road traffic is dangerous 1% 0% 1% No road space on which to ride 1% 1% 0%

Factors underlying lack of bicycle ownership, Kakamega. % All respondents % Men % Women Cost of acquisition 88% 90% 86% Cost of ownership – maintenance/spare parts 26% 30% 23% Lack of bicycles available near me 10% 9% 10% Road traffic is dangerous 6% 1% 10% Not interested 3% 4% 3% Unable to cycle 2% 0% 4% No road space on which to ride 1% 0% 2% Don’t know 1% 3% 0% Disabled/ physical 1% 1% 0%

Transportation Use In both Zomba and Kenya, walking, bicycles, motorcycles and minibus taxis are the four main modes of transportation. However, the extent and frequency of usage of these modes vary, depending on trip purpose, availability, cost, convenience, accessibility, distance and other driving factors. The high levels of poverty and low purchasing power in Malawi, relative to Kenya, may explain the low uptake of motorized modes of transportation and decision making around use of a mode of transportation.

Discussion In both Zomba and Kakamega, respondents primarily walk. While walking appears to provide mobility to nearby locations for work, social activities, and services, respondents shared that for long distances they require alternative means of transportation. For example, in both Zomba and Kakamega, people used motorized transport to access district markets and health facilities. In Kakamega, people expressed their desired transportation was unavailable, in Zomba, the desired mode of transportation was inaccessible, due to cost. The research showed that in Zomba, for example, transport constitutes on average a third of household expenditure. Bicycles have a higher usage rate in Zomba, however, in both locations, bicycles ownership is low with respondents indicating cost was the biggest barrier to ownership. The use cases for bicycles and motorized transportation are primarily for livelihood activities.

Respondents face varying degrees of mobility poverty and adopt a variety of strategies to build mobility security. The failure of a market system to deliver mobility security has negative and detrimental livelihood impacts such as energy poverty, exclusion, and marginalization, particularly for women and girls. Mobility poverty impacts not only their incomes and opportunities, but also their physical, mental, and emotional health and well-being.

Conclusion The ‘mobility security’ conceptual framework is a tool to analyse user needs and preferences in a particular geography. The fine line between mobility poverty and security is a function of the availability, access, use of a desired mode or modes of transportation. Transportation planners and policy makers should investigate transportation development to minimise excessive walking and reduce the negative outcomes associated with lack of transportation availability and poor access. Future potential applications of the ‘mobility security’ framework by researchers and planners are evaluation of a transport system and users; analysis and prioritisation of transportation interventions among a social group or in a specific geography; and to assess the degree to which a particular mode of transportation contributes to mobility security for specific groups, such as women.

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Chambers, Robert& Conway, Gordon’ Sustainable rural livelihoods: practical concepts for the 21st century’ 1992 IDS Discussion Paper 296.

Foley L, et. al (2022) Socioeconomic and gendered inequities in travel behaviour in Africa: Mixed-method systematic review and meta-ethnography. Soc Sci Med. Jan; 292:114545.

Lucas, K, Verlinghieri, E et al. (2016) Transport poverty and its adverse social consequences. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Transport, 169 (6). pp. 353-365. ISSN 0965-092X.

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