Walking, Cycling and Accessibility in Cities in the Global South

Walking and cycling are important in ensuring accessibility and connectivity in cities in the Global South. Not only do they complement other modes of transportation, but also jointly contribute to the functioning and rhythm of life in cities. For example, walking is a key mode of transport in Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, Cape Town and Santiago, constituting 73.7%, 70.3%, 46.7% and 34.5% respectively, of all trips undertaken in these cities, especially for low-income residents. Despite their importance, planning and financing walking and cycling infrastructure and services across the world vary from neglect through half-hearted measures to full-scale inclusion. Providing walking and cycling infrastructure and services is largely an afterthought in transportation planning that remains car-centric in many parts of the world.

The COVID-19 pandemic led to a surge of interest in walking and cycling as a safe and healthy way to travel. While cities across the world have reclaimed streets for walking and cycling, whether this renewed effort is likely to accelerate walking and cycling use and infrastructure remains a key question. This unusual moment allows us to explore these initiatives as well as assess progress in integrating them into urban planning in the Global South. In an age of climate change and mounting public health challenges, walking, cycling and public transport planning will be ever more important to get right.

Publications on walking and cycling in cities in the Global South are relatively limited compared to the Global North. Users looking for more information on this topic must therefore search hard to retrieve relevant publications. Though there are a few key publications that focus on walking and cycling in emerging countries, there are recent developments that have not been adequately covered. For example, the bicycle network in Bogota has been extended, and strategies for walking and cycling have recently been developed in Nairobi, Addis Ababa and Kampala. There are also several dissertations on this topic that are yet to be published for wider dissemination of findings.

This Research Topic aims to publish and disseminate research and experiences on the role of walking and cycling in enhancing accessibility in cities in the Global South. We invite submissions to focus on the following themes in the form of theoretical, empirical and methodological contributions:
• Methods, theories and conceptual models on walking and cycling.
• Travel behavior and experiences of walkers and cyclists, including enablers and barriers to walking and cycling, and gender dimensions in such experiences.
• Infrastructure for walking and cycling, including initiatives for pedestrianization and cycling during COVID-19.
• Governance, policies and strategies for walking and cycling.
• Walking and cycling policy change agents, including using walking and cycling to drive sustainable transport policy.
• Walking and cycling-related enterprises.
• Safety of walkers and cyclists.
• Walking and cycling in multi-modal transport planning.

This project is undertaken in collaboration with Volvo Educational and Research Foundations as part of their current preparation of new initiatives under the Future Urban Transport Programme.