Health equity
Transport provides access to jobs, education, services, food choices and recreational activities – all of which influence health status and health equity. Many vulnerable groups, such as women, children and youth, people with disabilities, low-income groups, and the elderly, have less access to private vehicles or public transport. These groups also tend to be more exposed to certain transport-related health risks. For instance, air pollution and noise exposure tend to affect poor neighbourhoods disproportionately, since lower value homes may be located in close proximity to heavily trafficked areas.
These same groups benefit most significantly from improved public and non-motorized transport, which enhance independent mobility and access to goods, services, employment and education. Improving public and non-motorized transport can also improve health equity by directly reducing air pollution, noise, and injury risks in poor neighbourhoods. Adequately planned transport infrastructure can also prevent community severance and physical barriers largely affecting communities spatially segregated and disconnected from jobs, education and health opportunities.
Case Study
In many cities, public transport remains unsafe, inefficient, inaccessible or unaffordable to many of the poor in developing cities. Greater Accra Metropolitan Area has over 7500 km of roads, of which 6900 km are urban roads with limited pedestrian and cycling infrastructure. Yet walking makes up 37.6% of all passenger-km (pkm)– an opportunity to include and prioritize safe, active mobility in urban and transport planning.
Additionally, emerging health risk is the commercial use of Okada motorcycle taxis. A 2012 ban has been difficult to enforce due to customer demand driven by increasing traffic congestion, affordability and the opportunities Okada provide for youth employment. This increase in motorcycle use is associated with increased road injuries. Without safely designed pedestrian environments and well-developed public transit networks, disadvantaged groups face barriers to adequate mobility, and by extension, to jobs, social and recreational outlets, schools and health services.
Publications
Health in the green economy : health co-benefits of climate change mitigation - transport...
Urban transport and health: on behalf of Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
This Sourcebook on Sustainable Urban Transport addresses the key areas of sustainable transport policy framework for a developing city. The Sourcebook...