Welcome to join us at the next MAC Research Forum – specifically for Next Generation scholars in mobility and access – where we will focus on active mobility issues in african cities.
Walking is the most common mode of transport in many urban areas in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), and ensuring good, safe walking conditions for all pedestrians is increasingly recognized as urgent need for transport planning. There is currently, however, a lack of in-depth knowledge about actual pedestrian behaviours, patterns and barriers in specific contexts and road conditions. Similarly, more research is needed on the potentials for predicting potential disruptions to walking and their impacts. This Research Forum will address these issues by drawing upon ongoing work on pedestrian behaviours from selected cities in SSA.
QUESTIONS WILL INCLUDE:
- How can we understand pedestrian behaviour in African cities?
- How might in-depth knowledge about pedestrian behaviour be applied to improve pedestrian safety on urban streets?
- What disruptive activities affect patterns of walking, and what tools can be applied to predict such patterns?
DATE: Wednesday 29 November 2023
TIME: 12:00 – 14:00 GMT
REGISTER HERE!
PROGRAM
Welcome and introduction: Henrik Nolmark, VREF Director
Moderators: Robert Ambunda, University of Namibia; Paschalin Basil, University of Nairobi, Kenya
Logistical host: Karin Henriksson, VREF Communications Officer
The MAC NextGen initiative – short orientation and news: Robert Ambunda, Paschalin Basil
PRESENTATIONS
“Pedestrianizing cities: examining pedestrian behaviour in Accra”
Presenter: Jonathan Otumfuor, University of Ghana
Discussant: Mercy Edna Manyasa, Technical University of Kenya
“Urban roads: enablers or barriers to walking”
Presenter: Polycap Chebe, Israel Institute of Technology, Israel
Discussant: Namatirai Cheure, University of Pretoria, South Africa
“Predictors of disruptive activities to walking in Accra, Ghana”,
Presenter: Kwame Odame, University of Cape Coast, Ghana
Discussant: Ragina Gitau, University of Stuttgart, Germany
Plenary Discussion
Closing – news from VREF; short survey
Since 2021, the VREF Mobility and Access in African Cities (MAC) program has hosted a series of virtual seminars under the title VREF MAC Research Forum. The seminars focus on recent or ongoing research in the area of sustainable mobility & equitable access in Sub-Saharan African (SSA) cities.
The purpose of the Research Forum is:
›› to stimulate scientific discussion of specific issues/themes related to sustainable urban mobility and equitable access in SSA;
›› to provide an opportunity for MAC scholars to present and discuss their on-going work with research colleagues within the MAC community;
›› to provide a meeting place for dialogue and exchange among researchers and other stakeholders within the MAC community.
The Research Forum on 29 November is the ninth in the special series “MAC NextGen Research Forums” – designed specifically for young scholars in the SSA community.
Do you have questions, thoughts or ideas related to the MAC program? Do not hesitate to contact us: secretariat@vref.se