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The puzzle of mobility and access to the city in Sub-Saharan Africa

Author

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  • Lourdes Diaz Olvera

    (LET - Laboratoire d'économie des transports - UL2 - Université Lumière - Lyon 2 - ENTPE - École Nationale des Travaux Publics de l'État - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • Didier Plat

    (LET - Laboratoire d'économie des transports - UL2 - Université Lumière - Lyon 2 - ENTPE - École Nationale des Travaux Publics de l'État - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • Pascal Pochet

    (LET - Laboratoire d'économie des transports - UL2 - Université Lumière - Lyon 2 - ENTPE - École Nationale des Travaux Publics de l'État - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

Abstract

This paper examines access to the city as revealed by the daily travel behaviour of urban dwellers. It is based on secondary analyses of six household travel surveys carried out in cities in West and Central Africa between 1992 and 2003. Vehicle ownership rates are low in these cities and the cost of public transport is a major item of expenditure in household budgets, which limits its use. Walking is thereforethe main mode of transport for most urban dwellers. The paper highlights the difficulties and issues linked with trip-making to conduct the major types of out-of-home activities (work and education, household management, and sociability). Our analyses show that the shortcomings of the transport system restrict the ability of urban dwellers, particularly the poor, to travel outside their neighbourhood and play a part in maintaining social inequalities.

Suggested Citation

  • Lourdes Diaz Olvera & Didier Plat & Pascal Pochet, 2013. "The puzzle of mobility and access to the city in Sub-Saharan Africa," Post-Print halshs-00861105, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:halshs-00861105
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2013.08.009
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://shs.hal.science/halshs-00861105
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Diaz Olvera, Lourdes & Plat, Didier & Pochet, Pascal, 2008. "Household transport expenditure in Sub-Saharan African cities: measurement and analysis," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 16(1), pages 1-13.
    2. Lucas, Karen, 2011. "Making the connections between transport disadvantage and the social exclusion of low income populations in the Tshwane Region of South Africa," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 19(6), pages 1320-1334.
    3. Roger Behrens & Lourdes Diaz Olvera & Didier Plat & Pascal Pochet, 2006. "Collection of passenger travel data in Sub-Saharan African cities: Towards improving survey instruments and procedures," Post-Print halshs-00068328, HAL.
    4. Schafer, Andreas & Victor, David G., 2000. "The future mobility of the world population," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 34(3), pages 171-205, April.
    5. Monique Bertrand, 2010. "De l'accès au logement à la relation domicile-travail : enjeux sociaux et spatiaux des mobilités dans la région du grand Accra (Ghana)," Revue Tiers-Monde, Armand Colin, vol. 0(1), pages 87-106.
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    8. Lourdes Diaz Olvera & Didier Plat & Pascal Pochet, 1998. "Villes africaines au quotidien," Post-Print halshs-00139419, HAL.
    9. Cris Beauchemin & Philippe Bocquier, 2003. "Migration and urbanization in francophone west Africa a review of the recent empirical evidence," Working Papers DT/2003/09, DIAL (Développement, Institutions et Mondialisation).
    10. Lourdes Diaz Olvera & Didier Plat & Pascal Pochet, 2008. "Household transport expenditure in Sub-Saharan African cities: measurement and analysis," Post-Print halshs-00264231, HAL.
    11. Baker, Judy & Basu, Rakhi & Cropper, Maureen & Lall, Somik & Takeuchi, Akie, 2005. "Urban poverty and transport : the case of Mumbai," Policy Research Working Paper Series 3693, The World Bank.
    12. Behrens, Roger & Diaz-Olvera, Lourdes & Plat, Didier & Pochet, Pascal, 2006. "Collection of passenger travel data in Sub-Saharan African cities: Towards improving survey instruments and procedures," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 13(1), pages 85-96, January.
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    Cited by:

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    3. Falavigna, Claudio & Hernandez, Diego, 2016. "Assessing inequalities on public transport affordability in two latin American cities: Montevideo (Uruguay) and Córdoba (Argentina)," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 145-155.
    4. Lourdes Diaz Olvera & Didier Plat & Pascal Pochet, 2015. "Assessment of mobility inequalities and income data collection. Methodological issues and a case study (Douala, Cameroon)," Post-Print halshs-01205776, HAL.
    5. Lourdes Diaz Olvera & Didier Plat & Pascal Pochet, 2016. "Changes in daily mobility patterns in Dakar (Senegal)," Post-Print halshs-01346869, HAL.
    6. Chalermpong, Saksith & Ratanawaraha, Apiwat & Anuchitchanchai, Ornicha, 2023. "Motorcycle taxis' varying degrees of complementarity and substitution with public transit in Bangkok," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
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    8. Davies, Julia & Hannah, Corrie & Guido, Zack & Zimmer, Andrew & McCann, Laura & Battersby, Jane & Evans, Tom, 2021. "Barriers to urban agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
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    10. Hernandez, Diego & Rossel, Cecilia, 2015. "Inequality and access to social services in Latin America: space–time constraints of child health checkups and prenatal care in Montevideo," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 24-32.
    11. Lourdes Diaz Olvera & Lestruhaut Pierre & Didier Plat & Pascal Pochet, 2016. "Linking inequalities in daily mobility and transport expenditure in a Latin-American metropolis," Post-Print halshs-01346875, HAL.
    12. Mendiate, Classio Joao & Nkurunziza, Alphonse & Machanguana, Constancio Augusto & Bernardo, Roberto, 2022. "Pedestrian travel behaviour and urban form: Comparing two small Mozambican cities," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    13. Diaz Olvera, Lourdes & Plat, Didier & Pochet, Pascal, 2015. "Assessment of mobility inequalities and income data collection. Methodological issues and a case study (Douala, Cameroon)," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 180-188.
    14. Walter Alando & Joachim Scheiner, 2016. "Framing Social Inclusion as a Benchmark for Cycling-Inclusive Transport Policy in Kisumu, Kenya," Social Inclusion, Cogitatio Press, vol. 4(3), pages 46-60.
    15. Andreasen, Manja Hoppe & Møller-Jensen, Lasse, 2017. "Access to the city: Mobility patterns, transport and accessibility in peripheral settlements of Dar es Salaam," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 20-29.
    16. Deborah Salon & Sumila Gulyani, 2019. "Commuting in Urban Kenya: Unpacking Travel Demand in Large and Small Kenyan Cities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(14), pages 1-22, July.
    17. Joseph, Lucy & Neven, An & Martens, Karel & Kweka, Opportuna & Wets, Geert & Janssens, Davy, 2020. "Measuring individuals' travel behaviour by use of a GPS-based smartphone application in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    18. Valenzuela-Levi, N. & Echiburu, T. & Correa, J. & Hurtubia, R. & Muñoz, J.C., 2021. "Housing and accessibility after the COVID-19 pandemic: Rebuilding for resilience, equity and sustainable mobility," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 48-60.
    19. Lambed Tatah & Yves Wasnyo & Matthew Pearce & Tolu Oni & Louise Foley & Ebele Mogo & Charles Obonyo & Jean Claude Mbanya & James Woodcock & Felix Assah, 2022. "Travel Behaviour and Barriers to Active Travel among Adults in Yaoundé, Cameroon," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-20, July.
    20. Valenzuela-Levi, Nicolás, 2021. "The rich and mobility: A new look into the impacts of income inequality on household transport expenditures," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 161-171.
    21. Dumedah, Gift & Abass, Kabila & Gyasi, Razak M. & Forkuor, John Boulard & Novignon, Jacob, 2023. "Inefficient allocation of paratransit service terminals and routes in Ghana: The role of driver unions and paratransit operators," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    22. Walther, Olivier J. & Dambo, Lawali & Koné, Moustapha & van Eupen, Michiel, 2020. "Mapping travel time to assess accessibility in West Africa: The role of borders, checkpoints and road conditions," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    23. Foley, Louise & Brugulat-Panés, Anna & Woodcock, James & Govia, Ishtar & Hambleton, Ian & Turner-Moss, Eleanor & Mogo, Ebele R.I. & Awinja, Alice Charity & Dambisya, Philip M. & Matina, Sostina Spiwe , 2022. "Socioeconomic and gendered inequities in travel behaviour in Africa: Mixed-method systematic review and meta-ethnography," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 292(C).
    24. Lourdes Diaz Olvera & Didier Plat & Pascal Pochet, 2015. "Assessment of mobility inequalities and income data collection. Methodological issues and a case study (Douala, Cameroon) [Evaluation des inégalités de mobilité et recueil des revenus. Questions mé," Post-Print halshs-01235185, HAL.
    25. Murad Mohammed & Sanjaya Senadheera, 2022. "Public Transport Affordability Evaluation for Addis Ababa City," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-18, June.

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