OpenUCT :: Browsing by Author "Behrens, Roger"

Browsing by Author "Behrens, Roger"

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Open Access
A GIS based planning support system for inclusionary housing profitability optimisation in Cape Town, South Africa
(2018) Krause, Philip; Behrens, Roger; Zuidgeest, Mark
Apartheid era legislation, along with automobile-oriented city planning practices, have left legacies of race/class-linked spatial inequality, and unsustainable land-use transport inter-relationships in post-Apartheid South African cities. Most poor urban communities still live in peripheral settlements, which are far from employment, education, and social opportunities. Consequently, these communities are reliant on public transit services which are inadequate and often unsafe. Despite substantial democratic era public transit investment, this automobile-oriented spatial legacy, rapid urbanisation and a growing middle class have contributed to increased automobile ownership and severe traffic congestion. This, along with inner-city and surrounding precinct regeneration programmes, guided by neo-liberal market-friendly agendas, have contributed towards gentrification and consequent displacement of poorer communities from the few remaining central, but previously affordable, precincts. Intervention is required to halt this trend, and to enable poorer communities’ return to central urban neighbourhoods. Inclusionary housing in private sector housing developments could be one such intervention. Since 2007, national and municipal authorities have devoted resources to developing inclusionary housing policies; over a decade later, none have progressed beyond draft state. A core challenge has been establishing mechanisms that ensure sufficient flexibility to accommodate widely differing market conditions between precincts. Decisions by local authorities/private property developers to grant concessions/pursue projects are influenced by constraining factors applicable to the particular land parcels considered. The ease and rigour of such decision-making at both a policy and implementation level could arguably be enhanced by a GIS (geographic information system) based PSS (planning support system), that is capable of analysing spatial and non-spatial factors on multiple land parcels. This could enable a comparison of the impact that concessions (in exchange for inclusion of affordable units) may have on the financial viability of projects. The research objective of this dissertation was to establish the technical feasibility of developing such a GIS-based inclusionary housing profitability assessment PSS, capable of utilising existing GIS data (maintained by City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality), and which is capable of aiding local authorities and property developers, and ultimately, low-income communities. In conducting this research, a system intending to meet this objective was developed. Through engagement with stakeholders, five case study sites were identified. These were analysed using the system, allowing assessment of their suitability for inclusionary housing, while also allowing for the performance of the system itself to be evaluated. Case study findings suggest that moderately wealthy neighbourhoods are best suited to inclusionary housing projects, as the impact of cross-subsidisation appeared strongest. Project viability was found to be highly sensitive to market conditions, highlighting the importance of using accurate and up-to-date market data. Ultimately, it was concluded that stakeholders see value in the development of a GIS based inclusionary housing PSS, but for the system to truly meet its objective of aiding inclusionary housing policy development and implementation decisions, additional functionality would be required.
Open Access
An Empirical Investigation on the Provision of Non-Emergency Patient Transportation Services in South Africa (A Case Study of Mafikeng Provincial Hospital)
(2018) Mubaiwa, Taurai; Mokonyama, Mathetha; Behrens, Roger
Accessibility to health care is one of the critical global developmental concerns. In this regard, the lack of provision of effective and efficient non-emergency patient transportation is one of the many access barriers to health care with multiple implications on the medium to long-term wellbeing of patients. This access to health challenge is even a bigger problem for individuals or group of individual with chronic medical conditions in socially vulnerable communities, as they are required to travel regularly to obtain treatment. In this view, it becomes necessary that health care system transformation initiatives that are aimed at improving accessibility and achieve universal access to health seek to address this need. This research study is warranted by inadequate academic research to inform the transportation planning approaches in support of healthcare reform programmes. In the context of South Africa, this is especially needed in the wake of the formulation of the National Health Insurance Policy (NHI) with a strategic goal to maximise universal access to healthcare. The study aim was to identify the non-emergency patient transportation needs and the extent to which such needs are being met in South Africa. The study further identified priority areas of interventions with the aim of contributing to the refinement of the objectives of the National Health Insurance Policy, and complementing its vision for universal access to health care. The research study adopted an empirical approach on the requirements for the provision of nonemergency patient transportation services in South Africa. The research study was case based and disease oriented. As one of the emerging chronic conditions that is considered have catastrophic implications on national health profile, and one that requires a high frequency of travel to obtain treatments, Chronic Kidney Disease was chosen for this research study. Given the structure of the research questions and literature discussions, a pragmatic research analysis was adopted. In this regard, a sequential, explanatory mixed methods approach was used to collect and analyse data. Semi-structured interviews and structured self-completed research questionnaires were used for primary data collection. The surveys were of a cross-sectional nature. Grounded theory was used for qualitative data analysis, while descriptive statistical analysis and IPA were used to determine the extent to which the identified renal dialysis patient travel needs have been met and to identify areas of potential intervention. The outcomes of the research study are presented as descriptive phenomenological-correlated findings. Accounts of patients, public transportation operators, treating doctors and hospital management are qualitatively and quantitatively analysed. Based on the research findings, this research study concludes that the lack of provision of effective and efficient non-emergency patient transportation services at Mafikeng Provincial Hospital is indeed a barrier to the accessibility of health care services. While the provision of non-emergency patient transportation has been established as a potential barrier in extant literature, the nature of this barrier is made clearer in this study within the South African context. Research findings shows that, unless non-emergency patient transport services are explicitly designed to cater for specific needs of patient travel, provisions for healthcare access remain critically incomplete, and may in fact, serve to worsen patient conditions. The research study recommends development of a robust, effective and efficient nonemergency patient transportation system as one of the many accessibility to health care factors that is required to achieve universal access to health in the country. In particular, transportation service design must take explicit account of operational needs of patient treatment requirements. On short to medium term interventions, provision of a dedicated renal dialysis patient travel financial subsidy and upgrading of the health services at MPH and other health facilities that serves as referring points to MPH were found to be the most desired in order to offset the considerable high travel costs, health and safety risks on the patient account. The research study also identifies areas of further research that are required to advance the incorporation of patient travel needs in non-emergency patient transportation service design.
Open Access
An investigation of the (in)flexibility of the minibus-taxi operating license system: the case of Stellenbosch
(2022) Bergstedt, Roscoe; Behrens, Roger
This research aims to explore the inflexibility of South Africa's operating licensing system and how it affects minibus taxis operations when operating locations change. It also explores the limitations it places on passenger demands when land uses change over time. The study focusses on answering the following research questions: How did the relocation of the rank effect passenger transit conditions? Why did the locations of the ranks change? Is the existing licensing system inflexible? Why were the operating license routes never amended? How did the outdated route description affect postrelocation traffic law enforcement conflict? It also explores what prompted decision-makers at the time to switch from an area-based permit to a route-based operating license by looking at legislative history and attempting to determine how this has influenced the taxi industry's operational dynamics. The Stellenbosch Municipality's efforts to modernize the town's public transportation network by simplifying and integrating all ranking facilities is investigated, but the effort is complicated by an operational licensing system that assigns permits to precisely specified routes. As a result of the reorganization of ranks, routes have become obsolete, resulting in violations of operational conditions in order to meet passenger demands while also creating law enforcement confrontation. Six of the Stellenbosch taxi association's ten routes were chosen for investigation. In addition to the literature review, 25 interviews were conducted with the intent of gaining a more in-depth understanding of respondents' attitudes and knowledge of the difficulties surrounding rank rationalization and consolidation. The data was gathered using a mixed method approach, with a qualitative study concentrating on the people affected by the system and a quantitative analysis focusing on the obsolete route descriptions. Taxi drivers, passengers, taxi owners, and municipal officials were interviewed and both open-ended and closed-ended questions formed part of the interview process. The purpose of the route surveying was to see how much the taxis deviate from the initial route description. This is descriptive data displayed in a graphical style via route maps, which were obtained by onboard tracking utilizing smart phone technology and GPS equipment to compare taxi operations to the initial route description in the operating license. Some of the routes mapped were established more than 20 years ago, however while some of the route's elements are still in use, others have become obsolete as land uses have changed. The mapping data was downloaded and converted into a keyhole markup language (KML) track. The analytical results are presented to clearly show the important factors that influenced the research design, which addresses the six research questions. The change in rank has clearly had a negative influence on daily operations and a variety of other factors, in addition to the passengers' travel experience. I learned that studies were conducted that guided the decision on the relocation of the ranks and because routes are not changed even with the aim to improve public transportation, that those critical aspects of the system remain intact making the operating licensing system in Stellenbosch inflexible. I also discuss the ambiguity surrounding why the operating license route description has not changed, as well as what each stakeholder must do to ensure the procedure is completed and offer data to demonstrate the growth in conflict between traffic officers and minibus taxi drivers. Regulation has its limits, but if the right measures are taken, the operating system may improve. Understanding the needs of passengers is one of the most important parts of public transportation service in order to ensure the long-term success of the industry's routes. Understanding how operating conditions and behavior affect route demand is also critical, and this research is focused on that. As regulations have changed around the world, the operating license system has been altered to provide a more flexible structure that is suited for the intended purpose of the operations. This gives the operating license system information and aids in determining its flexibility. The final chapter conclude the research and presents the findings and recommendations. The objective of this study was to look into the inflexibility of the operating licensing system, specifically how accommodating it is when ranks move and how it affects passenger experience, law enforcement conflict, and route specification.
Open Access
Assessing the effectiveness of reduced parking requirements in facilitating transit-oriented development: a case study of “PT areas” in Cape Town
(2022) Sasman, Nicola Anne; Behrens, Roger
There has been a paradigm shift in thinking about parking provision, as government policy has favoured public transport and non-motorised transport (NMT), to limit and manage its supply in cities. This has been informed by sustainability principles, the understanding of “transit-oriented development” (TOD), and the “triple access” system thinking. This thinking has been applied in various ways in different cities, and its application in the literature is explored here, including case study lessons. This dissertation aims to answer the question: Recognising the current car-centric nature of the modern city (both in the Global North and South) on the one hand, and the sustainability and social equity imperatives on the other, can reduced parking provision and improved parking management be used to support the restructuring of the city over time, in support of public transport and of transit-oriented development? Cape Town is used as a case study, by assessing the effectiveness of the implementation of a tool adopted by the City of Cape Town, called “public transport areas” (“PT areas”), which allows reduced off-street parking supply in centres which are well-served by public transport. The research quantifies the number of parking bays not supplied as a result of the uptake of this PT offering, and locates this geographically. This was undertaken in 2 phases: the municipality conducted a pilot study of a small sample of centres, led by the author. The lessons learnt from this then informed the methodology for the full analysis, with the City providing the data to the author for analysis in her capacity as a student. The results of the quantitative research show that there was a significant nett saving of 9 662 parking bays in all centres, resulting in the freeing up of at least 18ha of developable land for more productive use. This does not include the additional gross lettable area potential created by reduced parking requirements, specific to each erf and land use. The research concludes that a tool such as the “PT offering” can have an impact on land use intensification, but its effectiveness is dampened if a good public transport system is not in place to enable positive travel behaviour change. It recommends that the moment is right, due to changing behaviour as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, for authorities to take actions to reduce parking demand and supply, and related management, in support of more people- and planet-orientated cities.civil
Open Access
'Boda boda' bicycle taxis and their role in urban transport systems : case studies of Nakuru and Kisumu, Kenya
(2010) Mutiso, Wilson Kasyoki; Behrens, Roger
The bicycle taxi has a padded cushion fitted onto a reinforced rear seat; typically removed when transporting goods. The research aimed, firstly, to understand the operating characteristics of, and challenges facing, ‘boda boda’ services, and secondly, to explore the measures that might be formulated by the concerned authorities to manage and support them. With regard to the latter aim, given the growth in motorcycle taxis at the expense of bicycle taxis elsewhere in the region, the research sought to make a recommendation on whether authorities should embrace or resist this trend.
Open Access
Case study analysis of integrated public transport networks in five South African cities
(2019) Manuel, Mikhail; Behrens, Roger
In 2007, 13 South African cities embarked on implementing Integrated Public Transport Networks (IPTN’s) guided by the Public Transport Strategy and Action Plan (PTSAP) published by the National Department of Transport (NDoT). The PTSAP sought to reform public transport industries across South Africa by 2020 to ward off increasing congestion, passenger dissatisfaction with overcrowding, long travel times, high travel costs, and safety concerns. Of the 13 cities, Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality (NMBM), City of Tshwane (CoT), City of Johannesburg (CoJ), City of Cape Town (CoCT), and George Local Municipality (GLM) had progressed the furthest by the end of 2017. However, all five Cities had experienced delays in achieving their IPTN project objectives. This dissertation investigates the underlying factors causing the delays. The research was guided by a framework of analysis developed by three core questions - the impact of the minibus-taxi industry negotiations, the impact of government’s capacity to implement, and the impact of South Africa’s urban form. The literature review begins with the fundamentals of reform of the three dimensions of the public transport industry: service characteristics, operator business structure, and competition. It then continues with a review of the history of attempts at reform in the minibus-taxi industry and bus industry, and a breakdown of the PTSAP. The literature review concludes with the fundamentals of mass transit use with an emphasis on the influence of urban form. Data were collected from media sources, government and academic publications, and qualitative semi-structured face-to-face interviews. The data were used to evaluate each IPTN system’s outcome and develop a chronology of each project’s implementation. In NMBM, Libhongolethu was delayed due to the strained relationship between the local minibus-taxi industry and the NMBM, and the alleged mismanagement of resources. It was concluded that alack of political will and a lack of capacity-to-implement were the underlying factors. In CoT, A Re Yeng was delayed due to difficulty in developing adequate IPTN plans, and lack of foresight on the long-term impact of political decisions. It was concluded that weak planning capacity and poor political decision making were the underlying factors. In CoJ, Rea Vaya benefitted from the external pressure of hosting the World Cup, as well as strong political leadership in the minibus-taxi industry and CoJ during Phase 1A. However, the project still grappled with animosity between local minibus-taxi associations, the influence of national mother- bodies on local associations, distrust of government within the minibus-taxi industry, industry transformation compensation benchmarking, and uncertainty following the 2016 local government elections. Therefore, it was concluded that politics within the minibus-taxi industry and government were the underlying factors. In CoCT, MyCiTi was delayed due to the inappropriate nature of BRT for Cape Town’s spatial form, higher than expected industry transition costs, budgetary cycles of government financial planning, and the moderation of services to improve financial sustainability. Therefore, it was concluded that an overall inappropriate solution to the public transport problem, prudent political leadership and adequate capacity-to-implement within the CoCT were the underlying factors. In GLM, GoGeorge was delayed because of inappropriate design restrictions imposed by the NDoT and changes in political leadership in quick succession at a vital stage of the project. Therefore, it was concluded that a lack of capacity within the NDoT and leadership instability were the underlying factors. In conclusion, all three core questions were found to be determinants of success or delay, while in addition, political will was also found to be a fundamental factor to success or delay. Analysis of the case-specific causes of delay found thatall cases were ultimately delayed due to five fundamental factors: an inappropriately ambitious implementation timeframe, the incongruency between gold-standard BRT design and South African urban form, the difficulty of overcoming the complexity of trust between the minibus-taxi industry and government, political will, and government’s lack ofcapacity to implementa reform programme as complex as the PTSAP.
Open Access
CfTS-TDA embedded PhD research initiative
(2017-09-14) Behrens, Roger
The embedded doctoral researcher initiative is a collaboration between the University of Cape Town’s Centre for Transport Studies (CfTS) and City of Cape Town’s Transport and Urban Development Authority (TDA). The research conducted by two successful PhD scholarship applicants will be of mutual interest to TDA and the CfTS, where the outputs of this research are useful to the TDA in developing and implementing improvements to Cape Town’s public transport system, while at the same time enable the candidate to meet the scholarly requirements of a doctoral degree.
Open Access
Dreams derailed: An investigation into the experiences of travel cost burdens for female commuters who are low-income earners
(2018) Fester, Carlyn Joy; Behrens, Roger
South African national transport policies, legislation and frameworks, as guided by the 1996 White Paper on National Transport Policy, have committed to providing a public transport system that equitably enables citizens to affordably access the goods, services and opportunities that are essential for their well-being. However, two decades after the introduction of the White Paper, quantitative studies have found that in Cape Town, lower-income households continue to experience a negative commute experience and still spend a disproportionate amount of time and money on travel in relation to higher-income households. Further, no studies have investigated what the user experience means in the lives of the commuters who are low-income earners and how these commuters must manage their travel times and travel costs in the South African context. This rich information is required as a critical input into policy evaluations and the design of appropriate user-focused policies that are founded on an authentic understanding of user needs and user experiences. In this study, a qualitative approach was employed to investigate the commute experiences of seven Cape Town women who are low-income earners. The findings suggest that while commuter rail presents the most affordable mode of travel for respondents, the service is subject to significant disruptions which result in substantial, unexpected, and unplanned-for travel cost and travel time expenditure. This unexpected expenditure adversely impacts household travel and time budgets and respondents must adjust these budgets accordingly to the disadvantage of their household consumption and personal activities. Furthermore, while commuting, respondents have all experienced fear of crime, bearing witness to criminal activity or being the victim of criminal activity. In general, all respondents reported a negative and frustrating commute experience that differs significantly from the user-focused, affordable and time-efficient public transport service that the 1996 White Paper on National Transport Policy had promised to deliver. The study recommends renewed emphasis on integrated land-use and transport planning that reduces trip distances, prioritisation of investment in public transport infrastructure, fare and ticketing integration, restructuring of public transport subsidy frameworks and increased focus on security through visible law enforcement and lighting.
Open Access
Enabling equitable access to public transport information to enhance hybrid system use in Cape Town, South Africa
(2022) Ryseck, Bianca Beatrice; Behrens, Roger
Though previously unscheduled public transport services were often seen as incompatible with equitable mobility goals, emerging cities are increasingly seeking to integrate these with new scheduled services to form hybrid public transport systems. In contrast to the abundance of services available, there is little information available to plan multimodal journeys across the hybrid system, limiting users' abilities to best use the system to meet their needs. This thesis investigated, through mixed research methods framed within Amartya Sen's capability approach, how to enable equitable access to public transport information on the hybrid system through information and communications technology. The research focussed on captive public transport users in the context of Cape Town, South Africa. Using (n=22) semi-structured interviews, candidate passenger information types for planning hybrid journeys across various scenarios were identified. A best-worst scaling study was undertaken (n=413) to gain a representative understanding of the least and most useful information types. A stated preference choice model was applied (n=501) to investigate what minimum information is required to make use of the hybrid network to access mobility opportunities in non-routine scenarios. The most useful information types were represented as different levels of certainty. These information types were: (1) frequency, (2) fare cost, (3) departure time, (4) arrival time, (5) safety walking to/from a station/stop, (6) safety onboard, and (7) safety while waiting at a stop. A further passenger survey (n=536), together with available secondary data, was analysed to gauge access to technologies and skills related to transport information use cases. This research found that none of the information types at the quality level desired is currently evenly available across the hybrid system, and no official information sources have the capacity to equitably reach captive users given current technological capabilities. The combination of gaps in information provision and adequate communication methods hinders users' informational capabilities to plan journeys that best meet their needs and preferences, and consequentially limits their access to opportunities through mobility. Strategies for understanding information needs, collecting the data necessary, and opening this data to the public through portals provide the adaptability and flexibility needed to deliver sustainable solutions.
Open Access
Estimating mode choice: A discrete choice analysis of a park and ride system for Florida road, Durban
(2018) Bilala, Nikita; Behrens, Roger; Zuidgeest, Mark
The majority of roads in Southern Africa have been designed primarily for private vehicle usage, with alternative modes such as public transport and non- motorised transport being largely neglected, and this is also true of Florida Road. Florida Road is located in Morningside, Durban, and has become an iconic landmark street known for its buzzing day and night life. However, due to the lack of adequate parking provision, coupled with increased traffic volumes, this street is plagued by traffic congestion, drivers performing unsafe vehicle manoeuvres as well as illegal parking, contributing to increased driver frustration and the increased possibility of car accidents. In this study, the feasibility of introducing a Park and Ride (P&R) system to Florida Road (from Greyville Racecourse) was investigated. Previous studies have shown that P&R systems can have a positive impact on traffic congestion on the local road network, however, there are not many studies that document the travel impacts and demand for P&R systems of this type – smaller P&R that do not link to major bus or rail public transport systems, but rather operate as “express bus” systems. This dissertation investigated the predicted travel behaviour responses of car users to the introduction of a P&R system to Florida Road from Greyville Racecourse. By doing so, the demand for the service, in terms of choice probabilities, was forecast. Another interest in this study was to examine the influence of current travel behaviour patterns as well as socio demographic characteristics on the predicted demand for the service. A stated preference survey was designed and implemented, which presented respondents with hypothetical choice scenarios involving three modes considered available – car, P&R and Uber with varying levels of service attributes i.e. travel cost, time spent parking, security and headway. A questionnaire asking respondents about their current travel patterns and personal characteristics was also administered. A discrete choice experiment was then carried out. A discrete choice experiment models the stated choices of respondents and provides a relative evaluation on the attributes presented, based on their responses. A multinomial logit model was then used in this experiment, to estimate the results. The results of the discrete choice experiment show that travel cost is one of the most important factors in mode choice evaluation by users of Florida Road. In particular to the P&R system, the service headway as well as presence of car guards/ security at the P&R facility were critical determinants of choice. Employment status was found to have a significant impact on the perceived costs of a trip, particularly trips made by respondent’s private vehicle. Respondents also displayed a preference for P&R for social trips, and work trips, over other modes. The time users spent parking at Florida Road was found to not be a significant deterrent to car usage. Socio – demographic variables such as age and gender were not found to have a significant bearing on mode choice probabilities. To ensure a sustainable demand for the P&R system, P&R service characteristics should be optimised, and the utility of using the P&R service should be higher than that of the other modes considered. From the data analysis, it was evident that for a higher patronage, the cost of using the P&R service should be low, or ideally, the service should be free. Shorter headways between pick – ups/ drop – offs should be maintained. Another important aspect is that, to promote the service, adequate advertising on social media is recommended. Aspects such as parking facility location, bus schedules, costs etc should be highly publicised. A high - quality shuttle bus service should also be provided, to further attract prospective users to the service. For the P&R system to be truly successful, P&R should be also introduced with measures to discourage use of parking bays on Florida, and encourage the use of the P&R service. An option considered is to start charging parking costs for the bays on Florida Road, thereby discouraging the use of this parking. The promotion of public transport, coupled with measures that actively discourage private vehicle usage would add to the attraction of the P&R system.
Open Access
Evaluation of when road space prioritisation/infrastructural improvements for paratransit vehicles is warranted: A case study of Mitchells Plain, Cape Town
(2018) Oni, Oluyemi; Zuidgeest, Marcus; Behrens, Roger
In many developing countries, the cities have confined or absolute non-availability of modern quality public transport systems, therefore residents of these cities solely rely on non-scheduled, informal, flexible route transportation system referred to as ‘Paratransit’ to move from one point to another. South Africa being a partly developed and partly developing country also have this particular problem in terms of its public transport system. Some 65% of public transport users make use of paratransit services as a day to day means of transport in South Africa. Paratransit is the most commonly used public transport mode in South African cities as it is relatively affordable and highly flexible. However, it is referred to be very unreliable in terms of journey time and passenger’s waiting time at stops mostly, due to time wasted in traffic congestion and at signalised intersections. So, actions are needed to be taken to improve the travel speed, safety and reliability of paratransit vehicles. In 2007, South Africa’s department of transport envisioned some strategies to revitalise public transport system in South Africa whereby one of the strategies is to replace paratransit called Mini-bus taxi in South Africa with scheduled trunk-feeder services. However, this has proven unachievable, due to resistant from the paratransit association. This dissertation aims to investigate under which traffic condition is road prioritisation/infrastructural improvement is warranted for paratransit vehicles in a trunk-feeder hybrid setting. The dissertation also explored how operations of the paratransit feeders service can be improved through infrastructural improvements and prioritisation on road space using the Mitchells Plain public transport interchange as a case study. An agent-based simulation modelling tool is employed to simulate the present trunk-feeder operations at the Mitchells Plain interchange thereby investigating how the passenger travel performance has been impacted by the configuration and operational characteristics of the current trunk-feeder public transport system. The modelling tool mimic an intermodal trunk feeder operation which include: Passengers arrival at the rank and stops to wait for taxi; boarding and alighting of passengers along the feeder’s route; transfers of passengers alighting from the taxi and walking of the passengers through the interchange to connect to their respective available trunk service public transport system. The main aim of this dissertation is to develop and investigate various infrastructure developments to the road network using road space prioritisation that can be implemented and their effect on the overall efficiency of the paratransit feeder’s system. Each of the proposed infrastructural improvements through prioritisation of paratransit vehicles on road space was tested in a normal and congested traffic condition to evaluate their effectiveness on the operational efficiency of paratransit feeder’s service at varying level of traffic congestion. The effect of the various network infrastructure improvements is being tested using the agent-based simulation tool with the main objectives of improving the operational performance of the paratransit feeder’s services which will lead to a more coordinated, integrated and sustainable trunk-feeder public transport system. The result of the model analysis showed that provision of dedicated lanes for paratransit vehicles is the most efficient infrastructural improvement strategy through road space prioritisation, especially in a traffic-congested route.
Open Access
Exploring privatisation as a panacea to the creation of value in South Africa's passenger rail service
(2023) Lata, Johanna; Behrens, Roger
Passenger rail in South Africa is deemed to be problematic because of its poor service quality, with various sources (e.g. National Household Travel Surveys 2003, 2013 and 2020) pointing to the service getting progressively worse with the passage of time. To reform passenger rail and change its fate, many governments around the world, beginning in the 1980s, implemented different forms of privatisation, mainly partnerships between governments and private companies. This became the face of passenger rail, and it is what some stakeholders are advocating for in South Africa. This dissertation, therefore, used four case studies – namely, the United Kingdom, Argentina, Kenya and South Africa (Gautrain) - as well as in-depth interviews with 9 experts and 2 rail users, to explore whether privatisation is a panacea to an ailing railway, and the value it can bring. Assessment of privatisation in the literature, case studies and expert interviews was done using analysis and comparison across a number of indicators, which have been found to influence the outcomes of privatisation. The findings from the three data sources mostly supported each other, in addition to some very interesting insights uncovered from the interviews. Based on the findings, the dissertation concluded that passenger rail privatisation was not a panacea to improve its poor service quality. However, given the appropriate conditions and processes derived from the matrices used, rail privatisation can result in benefits for the rail user in South Africa. These findings and the recommendations made in the final chapter contribute to the debates and thinking behind passenger rail privatisation in South Africa, and thus help to chart a way forward
Open Access
Informal and shared mobility: A bibliometric analysis and researcher network mapping
(Volvo Research and Educational Foundations, 2021-11-30) Behrens, Roger; Newlands, Alexandra; Suliaman, Tamzyn; Gebregziabher, Awot; Steele, Dianne
This study was commissioned by the Volvo Research and Educational Foundations to inform the content of the next phase of its Future Urban Transport programme. The aim of the study was to define the subject field (provisionally described by VREF as ‘informal public transport’ and ‘shared mobility’), analyse its bibliometric attributes. The study method involved an analysis of the nomenclature and focus of seminal or consolidating in-field literature to delineate the scope of the study, a systematic search of multiple platforms for in-field English language publications between 2010 and the present, the creation and augmentation of a database for bibliometric analysis, and a survey of leading researchers across eight global regions. The subject field was divided into four main categories of passenger services (flexible transport, informal transport, shared mobility and for-hire transport), which sit between purely private transport and scheduled mass public transport, and can be found in various guises across the Global North and Global South. The timeline of innovation in the field reveals complex and multi-directional global diffusion of service innovations, triggered by changed operating environments and technology disruption. It was found that research in this field is growing fast (doubling every four years). The recent literature is dominated by authors affiliated to universities in Europe, Eastern Asia and Northern America at a regional scale, and to universities in China and the United States at a country scale. Shared mobility (and bike-sharing, car-sharing and ride hailing in particular) has received most attention (62%), followed by for-hire transport (17%), informal transport (11%), and flexible transport (10%). Most publications concerning shared mobility and for-hire transport were produced by lead authors in China (19,3% and 44,1%), followed by the United States (15,0% and 9,9%). Most publications concerning informal transport were produced in South Africa (18,2%) followed by India (9,8%), and concerning flexible transport were produced in the United States (13,1%) followed by Australia (9,6%). There has been extensive international research collaboration, with collaboration between research institutions in China and the United States found to be particularly strong, as was collaboration between China and other East Asian countries. Somewhat paradoxically, while the quantity of collaborations with universities in Africa, Latin America, and Western Asia was relatively small, authors from many countries within these regions are most likely to publish through international collaboration. Citation networks between institutions followed a similar pattern to collaboration networks. Geographical gaps in the literature were found, with heatmaps revealing countries, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, that received no dedicated research attention. While difficult to quantify, there were also indications of thematic gaps in the literature, or at least disparity between the prevalence of a service type and the number of publications about it. Most notably, compared to their global prevalence, bike-sharing, car-sharing and carpooling were well researched, compared to informal for-hire transport and informal public transport, which received significantly less attention. Given the multi-directional innovation diffusion in the subject field, and the disparity of research capacity and output across regions, it is a field of inquiry that presents rich possibilities for global research collaboration in the next phase of the FUT programme. The survey of leading researchers suggested that: integrating with mass public transport services; serving the needs of vulnerable passengers; regulating service providers; introducing electric vehicles into shared mobility and informal transport fleets; and digitalising aspects of informal transport operations; are priority future research needs.
Open Access
Investigating the relationships between land use characteristics, public transport network features and financial viability at a corridor scale
(2016) Cooke, Sean; Behrens, Roger; Del Mistro, Romano
The successful integration of public transport and land development planning is likely to be central in determining how effectively the cities in the 'global south' manage the mounting pressures from rapid urbanization, population growth and rising income inequality. While a number of Sub-Saharan African cities, particularly in South Africa, have commenced large scale public transport reform, little research has been undertaken to date on appropriate public transport-land use integration in these contexts. As a result, both of the initial phases of BRT corridor implementation, in Cape Town and Johannesburg, have been found to be financially unsustainable in their current urban forms. The major decisions regarding the design of land use environments and public transport networks, in the context of rapidly developing cities, still occur without due consideration for each other. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationships between land use characteristics, network features and viable public transport services in the South African context and at a corridor scale. The study utilises a public transport corridor operating cost model that was created to simulate the effects of variation in four land use characteristics (population density, density distribution, land use mix and destination accessibility) and two public transport network features (mode technology and service configuration) on the financial viability of services. The corridor operating cost model consists of cascading land use, transport and costing sub-models for which the output of one supplies the input of the next. Gross population density was found to have the weakest causal relationship with financial viability. Density distribution was shown to have a very significant effect on the average passenger trip length, and financial viability as a result. When the majority of the population is articulated adjacent to the public transport trunk corridors, at a higher density, far fewer inefficient feeder services are required. Additionally, the chosen non-motorised transport mode for those accessing the trunk service directly had a considerable effect as the higher speed of bicycles increases the catchment area within which a feeder service is usually not required. Bicycle-based density articulation was able to halve the total cost of the public transport network in one of the cases, relative to the conventional pedestrian-based variety. Land use mix had a strong connection to public transport financial viability, through substantial effects on peak passenger volume. The final land use characteristic, destination accessibility, was represented by distance to the Central Business District (CBD), as well as dictating the length of the transport corridor. It was found to have a substantial influence on financial viability and affordability, especially in the context of a distance-based fare system. Passenger volume is the key determinant of mode technology choice and is influenced by population density, as well as the other three land use characteristics to a lesser degree. Low population densities intuitively favour smaller vehicles, while high densities or economies of scale promote the use of suburban rail and other capital intensive modes. Long public transport corridors with unsupportive land use environments favour larger vehicles, such as the BRT and non-BRT articulated bus modes. Fewer of these large vehicles are required to meet the demand and they can efficiently operate over longer distances than their smaller competitors. Whereas, short corridors and supportive land use environments favour the space priority that the conventional and articulated BRT modes possess. The higher speed that the segregated lanes allow the vehicles to reach over the shorter route distance also decreases vehicle requirements due to the higher rate of trips per hour per vehicle. The trunk-feeder and direct service configurations reacted similarly to the changes in land use characteristics, when the optimum modes are chosen to minimise costs. The results of the study suggest that a detailed land use development plan is necessary for each major public transport corridor, with unique targets for population density, density articulation and land use mix. It also demonstrated that, in the South African context, to achieve a high public transport modal split and sustainable public transport service requires high population densities, high articulation, mixed land uses, small corridor catchment areas and minimal feeder services.
Open Access
Investigation of the road safety measures around schools in Ethekwini
(2018) Mhlanga, Mabuyi; Behrens, Roger
Globally, road traffic injury is a leading cause of death and disability in children aged 15 to 19 and the second leading cause of death in children between the ages 10 to 14 years. This thesis reviewed literature regarding the extent of road traffic injuries involving child pedestrians, the risk factors for child pedestrians and the effectiveness of interventions aimed at road safety improvement. EThekwini Metro was used as a case study for investigating the magnitude of road traffic crashes involving child pedestrians around primary schools. The schools with the highest road traffic crashes were used to investigate the road and environment contributory factors to crashes and finally the interventions in place at these schools to reduce road traffic injuries. The magnitude of crashes was quantified by using road accident data obtained from eThekwini Metro and the investigation of the interventions applied at the schools was conducted using Google Earth imagery, onsite inspections and administering a questionnaire to educators at the schools chosen for the case study. Results suggest that, in eThekwini, 32% of pedestrian crashes involve children from 0 to 19 years. The 6 to 10 year age group has the highest risk of road traffic injury and boys are 20% more likely to be involved in a crash compared to girls. The top ten primary schools with the highest road traffic crashes are located in middle and low income areas in eThekwini, these are, Sydenham, Jacobs and Umlazi Township. Most crashes took place where three or more schools are located within a kilometre radius of each other. Child behaviour contributed to 77% of the road traffic crashes. Scholar transport driver behaviour was highlighted as a major contributor to crashes by the respondents and environmental factors that resulted in reduced visibility of the child pedestrian contributed to 6% of the crashes. The main cause of road traffic injury, 68%, was crossing the road when it was unsafe to do so. Most crashes took place away from the intersection (58%), under clear and dry weather conditions (95%) during daylight (87%), between 13h00 to 15h30 (41%). Mondays and Fridays had highest incidents of road traffic crashes compared to other days of the week. Forty five percent (45%) of crashes took place on Class 5 local roads but all top ten schools with the highest road traffic crashes are located within a kilometre of a Class 3 distributor road or a class 4 collector road and these higher order roads have the highest crashes per road associated with the primary schools in their vicinity. Traffic calming, in the form of speed humps are only provided on roads where school entrances are located and are not provided on other roads even the roads with the highest road traffic crashes. Pedestrian crossings that direct pedestrians to a safe crossing location, road signs and road markings that warn drivers about the school are also generally not provided. The study revealed that road safety education is not formally provided in the school’s curriculum, it is taught as part of the Life Skills subject. The content and type of training is decided upon by the Life Skills teachers. Practical training is only provided at two of the schools, in all other schools, road safety education is taught and tested in a classroom environment. The author recommends that further studies be conducted on child pedestrian road safety around schools to obtain a full understanding of the road and environmental risk factors, that the municipality adopts the school zone concept and develops a policy for road safety interventions within the school zones. The municipality must also constantly monitor road traffic crashes involving child pedestrians, collect necessary data and test the effectiveness of measures applied to reduce the risks for child pedestrian crashes, investigate the possibility of providing grade separated pedestrian crossing facilities on higher order roads within a kilometre radius of the schools, initiate a scholar transport driver training programme and to assist the schools in the provision of road safety education by providing facilities where practical road safety training can be taught.
Open Access
Is successful integration of land-use and transport planning centred around a catalytic city-wide public transport network improvement project?
(2018) Boshielo, Shela Paulina Polly; Behrens, Roger
This case study showed that land-use and transport planning in South Africa are not successfully integrated. In addition, the institutional arrangements governing land-use and transport planning are not properly aligned and operate in silos. This study investigated various mechanisms that can be used to successfully integrate land-use and transport planning. The main purpose of this study was to find the common key features of successful integrated land-use and transport planning. The study was based on a case study method. The data was collected from secondary sources in three widely-acclaimed international cities that have implemented land-use and transport planning. The major finding of the study was that successful integration of land-use and transport planning are centred on a catalytic city-wide public transport network improvement project. All three international case studies (Curitiba, Portland and Copenhagen) that were studied, have successfully integrated its land-use and transport planning, and had a catalytic public transport network project at its core. The study concluded that, to be successful, the integration of land-use and transport planning need to be centred on a catalytic city-wide public transport network improvement project.
Open Access
Matching networks to needs : travel needs and the configuration and management of local movement networks in South African cities
(2002) Behrens, Roger; Wilkinson, Peter
Motivated by disquiet that walking, as both a travel mode and as a segment of public transport trips, is not accommodated well in South African cities, this dissertation has two central aims. The first is to understand better the need for travel by non-motorised modes and within local areas. The second is to contribute to the improvement of local area movement network configuration and management practices. The research is primarily exploratory in nature and was conducted within a 'critical social science' paradigm-in which the research process was driven by a series of questions regarding the critical interrogation of these practices. It explores some of the implications for practice of a post-apartheid urban transport policy discourse that prioritises understanding travel need, managing road space, and accommodating public transport users and pedestrians. Reviews of literature, examination of codes of practice, and interviews with practitioners were conducted to trace the origins and nature of practices in the fields of travel analysis and local network planning and to investigate evidence of relationships between local network planning practices and improved local travel conditions. A household travel survey was administered in metropolitan Cape Town to gather data on travel behaviour across various income bands and in different residential locations. The survey employed an innovative activity-based method, with theoretical origins in time geography. With the use of computer-assisted personal interviewing technology, it involved members of 204 households recording their activity schedule over a 24-hour period. The data were analysed using conventional methods of filtered cross-tabulation, as well as time-space instruments. The research found, inter alia, that as a result of being routinely excluded or underestimated in past surveys, the importance of walking has not been fully understood. Walking would appear to be particularly important in satisfying the travel needs of middle-and low-income households, and walking distance findings would appear to refute assumptions regarding the introverted nature of pedestrian trips that underlie conventional local network configuration practices. In the light of these and other findings the dissertation argues for functionally 'fuzzy' local networks within which pedestrians and cyclists are accommodated on 'permeable' networks of footways, pathways, cycleways and shared roadways, while motor cars are accommodated on variously discontinuous roadway networks. The dissertation also argues for the strategic identification of local areas requiring priority attention, and the preparation of integrated local area plans incorporating co-ordinated and proactive pedestrian planning, bicycle planning and traffic calming.
Open Access
Measuring and analysing the impacts of travel demand management interventions on commuter travel behaviour : the case of rail-based park-and-ride facilities in Cape Town
(2011) Van Rensburg, Johann; Behrens, Roger
This dissertation reports upon the findings of a study undertaken in Cape Town to measure the impacts of park-and-ride facility upgrades on commuting behaviour at selected rail stations. The study analysed data from two sources covering the period before and after park-andride facility upgrades at three affected rail stations (Brackenfell, Kraaifontein and Kuilsrivier) and three control stations. The purpose of including the control group was to assist in assessing whether any utilisation changes observed across the before and after periods were the result of external factors.
Open Access
Non-motorised school travel planning: development, demonstration and evaluation of a 'walking bus' initiative at selected schools in Cape Town
(2012) Muchaka, Patrick; Behrens, Roger
This dissertation reports upon research conducted at selected primary schools in Cape Town between 2010 and 2011 aimed at developing, implementing and evaluating the impacts of a non- motorised school travel intervention in the local context. The literature review conducted situated the current interest in active travel modes in the context of concerns over declining child independent mobility. 'Walking buses' were identified as the most appropriate intervention to address the child mobility concerns identified in the city. A 'walking bus' is a group of children who walk to school along a set route, supervised by adult volunteers. As part of data collection for the research, three school travel surveys were conducted using self-completion questionnaires. The first two surveys (n=1,784) were conducted at selected schools in 2010 in two neighbourhoods (Rondebosch and Delft) and were aimed at gaining insights into current learner travel behaviour and collecting the data required to implement 'walking buses'. The third survey (n=984) was conducted in 2010 and 2011, amongst schoolchildren aged 7-15 years, and their parents, and was aimed at exploring child independent mobility in the context of Cape Town and its hinterland. Key findings from the three surveys are discussed in terms of how independently mobile children are, how this varies according to neighbourhood and parent's willingness to let children use 'walking buses'. It was found that independent mobility varied considerably between wealthy and poor households, and across age and gender. Children from poorer households were heavily reliant on walking (88% share of school trips) while children from wealthier households were heavily reliant on cars (87% share of school trips). Parental interest was found to be sufficiently high to make 'walking buses' a viable intervention in both lower- and higher-income neighbourhoods. 'Walking buses' were subsequently implemented, and in the case of Rondebosch, evaluated using qualitative interviews with some of the participating children (n=16) and their parents (n=14). Key findings from the qualitative interviews are discussed in terms of learner travel behaviour prior to, and after, the setting up of 'walking buses', and insights into the impacts of 'walking buses'. The evaluation findings suggest that while scheduled 'walking buses' may be established with considerable levels of support and enthusiasm from parents and schools, they are difficult to sustain over the longer term. The dissertation concludes with a discussion on the tension between child independent mobility and 'walking buses', and implications of the findings for municipalities and schools wishing to promote greater use of walking for school travel.
Open Access
Paratransit operators' participation in public transport reform in Cape Town: a qualitative investigation of their business aspirations and attitudes to reform
(2015) Schalekamp, Hertzog Venter; Behrens, Roger
The South African government launched two public transport reform programmes in the last two decades to address generally declining services as well as specific problems with paratransit, the dominant service provider. One programme aims to incorporate paratransit in new bus-based networks in cities; the other is a national paratransit fleet renewal scheme. Cape Town is arguably most advanced with the former, and the first phase of its bus network is nearing completion. Paratransit operators have shown resistance to both programmes, yet there have been few efforts to gain direct insight into their views on their businesses or their attitudes to reform. It is thus difficult to identify reasons behind their unenthusiastic response, or to understand if revisions to the programmes might cause more operators to opt in. This research employed a case study strategy to investigate paratransit operators' business aspirations and needs in Cape Town, and to identify commonalities between their attitudes and the aims of the reform programmes to inform potential amendments to these programmes. The details of incorporating paratransit operators in the new bus system in Cape Town were not systematically recorded, and it was thus first necessary to trace the engagement process between the municipality and these operators. Information was drawn from a variety of sources over a six-year period. Against this background, semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with 30 operators and eight drivers from different parts of the city to explore their aspirations and views on reform. Access was arranged through trusted intermediaries and the eight associations to which respondents belonged. The research revealed that operators were not necessarily passive players waiting for government-led change: some established large transport enterprises, whereas others built small-scale businesses. Propositions were subsequently drawn, amongst other things, on the prospects of and potential revisions to the reform programmes. The recapitalisation programme has had the broader reach of the two programmes. The national government should consider extending it and reviewing its financial support mechanism to make it more accessible to small operators. Larger businesses might be well positioned for incorporation in bus operating companies, but concerted efforts must be made to build trust with these operators and to familiarise them with the transition process. By documenting operator incorporation in the bus system, and providing first-hand insight into paratransit aspirations and attitudes to reform, the research ultimately contributes a basis from which to understand operators' existing responses to reform and the potential for their greater participation in it.

Browsing by Author "Behrens, Roger"

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