Urban Transport in the OIC Megacities

health systems improve along with the economies, it is anticipated that life expectancy levels will

increase across the world and this will in turn increase the number and the proportion of the elderly

population. Global ageing will put increased economic and social demands on all countries. At the

same time, older people make a significant contribution to the function of a society which is often

ignored as they provide significant assistance in housework and childcare for many families

(Pettersson and Schmocker, 2010; WHO, 2002).

The society is aging rapidly and this has significant consequences on transport. Although older people

travel less than young people in the peak hours, the elderly now travel more than the elderly in the

past. As a result, the traffic will probably spread over a longer time period of the day. Ageing also

demands certain requirements in a transport system in the sense that safety, reliability and

accessibility criteria become more important (WHO, 2002).

The term ‘active ageing’ was introduced by the WHO in the late 1990s and is defined as “the process

of optimizing opportunities for health, participation and security in order to enhance quality of life as

people age” (WHO, 2002, p.13). WHO provides four definitions related to active ageing; autonomy,

independence, quality of life and healthy life expectancy. Autonomy is defined as the ability of an older

person to control and make own decisions. Independence is defined as the ability to perform daily

functions. Quality of life is defined as an individual’s perception of his or her position in life in the

context of the culture they live, and healthy life expectancy is synonym to “disability free life

expectancy” (WHO, 2002).

Research shows that transport, both as the ability and the potential to travel, is perceived as a key

aspect of quality of life for older people. Mobility is a means of encouraging older people to participate

in community life, enhance their social interaction and reduce isolation. In addition, provision of

accessible transport for people of age with compromised mobility has a significant contribution to

barrier-free living for these groups (Pettersson and Schmocker, 2010; WHO, 2002).

3.11.3. Transport related social exclusion in developing countries

Poverty reduction continues to be the key challenge in urban areas across the developing world.

Almost one quarter of the world’s urban population is living in informal settlements. Lower income

households are disproportionately affected by the externalities generated by transport, including road

accidents and air pollution. At the same time, the levels of urban inequality in megacities are

exacerbated by increasing motorization and urban sprawl. Studies have identified three common

impacts of increasing private vehicle use on the urban poor. First, physical barriers such as roads and

bridges, or road traffic are limiting the opportunities for social interaction; second, traffic noise and

road safety pose psychological barriers; and third, there are long term social impacts on physical and

mental health and on economic resilience and productivity of communities whose communication

with other social groups and areas is continuously disrupted (Rode et al, 2014).

The new populations migrating to the megacities of the developing world, especially from poor rural

areas, are drawn by perceived chances of finding employment in the industrial or servicing sectors.

Many of those people are unable to find proper housing and turn to live in slum settlements

. For the

very poor urban populations in developing countries, the savings derived from living in informal

settlements are often spent on transport to workplace, educational, medical and retail destinations.

Travel can consume 25% or more of their daily wages in cities like New Delhi, Buenos Aires and

Manila, and as high as 30% in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam. Low income groups also spend significant

amount of their time travelling to and from work. For example, 20% of workers in Mexico City spend

more than three hours travelling to and from work each day (Cervero, 2013; Faiz Rashid, 2009).

Although the term informal settlement is often used instead of slum, it is considered that the former is not capturing the realities of

residents living in slums. The absence of regulated housing structures does not imply that residents are living in slum conditions, or

vice versa as some slum settlements, for example in Calcutta, are being regularized (Faiz Rashid, 2009).