Urban transport problems of Third World cities: the third generation

Abstract

Although urban transport problems in developing countries may be perceived in a variety of ways, depending upon the location, wealth and motorisation levels of the city concerned, the planning responses to such problems have essentially been based upon standardised traffic and transport planning procedures. Underlying these procedures are assumptions and perceptions which owe their origin more to professional practice in the industrialised world than to the development circumstances of Third World cities. This paper argues that the application of standardised traffic and transport planning approaches to Third World settlements have not only failed to resolve their urban movement problems, but have themselves created additional transport problems by employing inappropriate and misconceived assumptions and perceptions. The paper comprises four parts, the first two of which are devoted to the nature of urban travel within Third World cities during their colonial period and immediately after.’ The third part of the paper outlines the major underlying assumptions and perceptions employed in the standardised planning response provided by many international consultancy firms and development agencies for such cities. The final part concludes with a summary of a new generation of urban transport problems currently facing many developing countries, which owe their origin, at least in part, to the application of standardised traffic and transport planning approaches.