Socio-economic characteristics of urban residents and intra-urban trip generation: an illustration from Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria

Abstract

The developed and emerging urban centres of today generate and attract complex trip pattern because of their multifarious functions. However, concentration of trip generation studies on developed urban centres in Nigeria creates the need for such exercise in the emerging cities. This study thus, focused on socio-economic characteristics of urban residents and their influences on intra-urban trip generation in Abeokuta, an intermediate urban centre in Nigeria. Data on twelve socio-economic characteristics of residents and trip generation pattern were collected from 429 households in the chosen urban centre. Simple bivariate correlation and multiple regression techniques were used to process data generated. Six socio-economic characteristics of residents significantly account for 53.80% (F = 82.001, p ≤ 0.01) of variation in the criterion. In order of importance, the variables and their level of contribution are: Number of workers 37.70% (t = 16.074, p ≤ 0.01), age 6.90%, (t = 7.294, p ≤ 0.01), rent 4.90% (t = 6.429, p ≤ 0.01), occupation 2.60% (t = 4.758, p ≤ 0.01), length of stay 0.80% (t = 2.693, p ≤ 0.01) and income 0.90% (t = 2.933, p ≤ 0.01). Emerging/intermediate urban centres in Nigeria have similar pattern as major centres in terms of trip generation and this deserves adequate attention to avoid the crisis experienced in the major urban centres in the future. Key Words: Trip generation, Urbancentres, Socio-economic variables, Intra-Urban travel, Trip determinants, Nigeria