Barriers and motivators to the utilization of public transport : a case of La Lucia Ridge office park in Durban.

Abstract

Heavy reliance on private car contributes to various environmental and traffic problems such as pollution and congestion. Measure aimed at reducing private car usage will be more effective when there is an understanding of the underlying causes in the form of the barriers and motivators. This research was conducted to establish the barriers and motivators to using public transport in the La Lucia Ridge Office Estate. In addition to that it looked into the measures that can be employed to remedy the limited or non-utilization of public transport thereby reducing traffic congestion and encourage sustainable urban living. The data used in this research is based on the research that was conducted in La Lucia Ridge Office Estate in 2012. The data was gathered through the use of questionnaires. The questionnaires were administered in public places in LLROE and were targeting both private car and public car users. The analysis of the results found that the majority of respondents in the LLROE use private car as their main mode of transport and for those who use public transport the bus was their main mode of transport followed by minibus taxis. The results also revealed that the cost for both private car and public transport users was the key determinant in the choice of mode being utilised. In addition to that the unavailability of public transport at the time of respondents’ going to or from work was also another key issue. The analysis also revealed that the respondents were happy with variety of public transport mode for the LLROE. In trying to establish measures to remedy the situation the study revealed that respondents would support the measures that were suggested in order to improve the use of public transport and reduce congestion and promote sustainable urban living. This research is a valuable contribution in the field of public transport and would serve as a point of reference for other areas experiencing similar challenges.