Small cities, big needs: Urban transport planning in cities of developing countries

Thondoo, Meelan; Marquet, Oriol; Márquez, Sully; Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark · 2020 · OpenAlex-citations

DOI: 10.1016/j.jth.2020.100944

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Summary

This study addresses the critical misalignment between urban transport policies and citizen needs in developing countries, specifically focusing on Port Louis, Mauritius. The research is motivated by the rapid urbanization and motorization in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), which exacerbate public health issues such as air pollution, traffic injuries, and sedentary lifestyles. While citizen-centered planning is recognized as a solution in high-income nations, evidence from Africa remains scarce. The authors aim to assess whether current government transport policies align with the self-reported needs of citizens and to identify which demographic groups are most affected by potential misalignments. The researchers employed a mixed-methods triangulation approach. First, they qualitatively analyzed the 2017 Annual Report of the Ministry of Public Infrastructure and Land Transport to identify three major policy measures: a Road Safety Strategic Plan, a Bus Modernization Scheme, and the Metro Express Light Rail Transit (LRT) system. These were selected based on criteria including duration (over three years), budget (over 100 million MUR), and active implementation. Second, they analyzed data from the "Map mo Port Louis" survey, which included 1,523 participants representative of the Mauritian population. The survey identified six urban planning needs, six mobility needs, and six transit mode preferences. Logistic regression models were used to detect associations between these needs and demographic indicators such as age, gender, and income. The results reveal a significant disconnect between policy priorities and citizen demands. Citizens prioritized improving sidewalks (80%), public spaces (77%), green spaces (67%), pedestrianizing strategic areas (66%), centralizing street vendors at bus stations (57%), and regulating private vehicle entry (40%). The assessed policies addressed only three of these six needs, and notably, the unaddressed needs were those most strongly expressed by poorer population groups. The policies failed to support active modes of travel, such as walking and cycling, and did not incorporate health or social co-benefits. Instead, the measures emphasized an economic agenda focused on large-scale infrastructure, such as the LRT and bus fleet renewal, rather than reforms that integrate transport planning with social life and equity. The study concludes that current urban transport planning in Port Louis is driven by a car-centric, infrastructure-heavy approach that neglects the everyday mobility needs of the majority, particularly lower-income residents. This misalignment contributes to social exclusion and fails to leverage transport planning as a tool for public health improvement. The authors argue that adopting citizen-centered approaches is essential for reforming urban transport policies in developing countries. By aligning policies with public needs, cities can foster healthier, more equitable, and sustainable environments, moving beyond mere economic growth to address the complex social and health challenges of rapid urbanization.

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• demographic disparities