A study of safety and security of pedestrians travelling towards the Bellville, Claremont and Mitchells Plain public transport interchanges in the Cape Town municipal area

Date
2020-03
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Poor levels of safety and security have continued to increase, the state of public transport continues to deteriorate, while 5.2 million commuters are challenged by this daily. The implementation of NMT does not only include enough infrastructure but must consider the safety and security of pedestrians through understanding the daily challenges and risk encountered by the commuters within the Western Cape. The purpose of the study was to investigate the condition of the current NMT facilities and how commuters perceive levels of safety when travelling towards Bellville, Mitchells Plain and Claremont public transport interchanges. Literature reviews were conducted, comparing various examples of developing countries that experienced high traffic crashes and pedestrian fatalities like South Africa. These examples illustrated the importance of implementing adequate NMT facilities and the role the end-user plays in the success of the facility. Crash data and criminal data was analysed as contributing factors to pedestrian safety and security risks. A pedestrian environmental assessment was done to determine the state of NMT, and the questionnaire survey was distributed to commuters travelling to the PTI to provide their perception and daily experience. The data reveals many factors affecting pedestrians with regards to exposure to criminal activity and crashes but also the views and opinions of the commuters. Furthermore, an analysis of variance ( ANOVA) was completed to determine the variation in the means for each public transport interchange. Using the evaluated data an action plan with countermeasure was completed recommending proven methods of improvement for the pedestrian environment. The data evaluated revealed that the relevant NMT facilities are present at each PTI however, due to poor maintenance the facilities have deteriorated. It is concluded that commuters experience a poor level of safety and security when travelling towards PTI’s. High level of criminal activity and crash risks exists around the PTI’s. In addition, commuters believe that the presence of the police has little to no effect on their safety and security. The Analysis of Variance showed that commuters are travelling in constant fear, irrespective of which PTI they travel to. Overall it was concluded that low levels of safety exist, and commuters do not feel safe. Although adequate infrastructure is provided, the safety and security of pedestrians should be prioritized.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Lae vlakke van veiligheid en sekuriteit het steeds toegeneem, die toestand van openbare vervoer gaan steeds agteruit, terwyl 5,2 miljoen pendelaars daagliks hierdeur geraak word. Die implementering van NGV bevat nie net die voorsiening van genoeg infrastruktuur nie, maar moet ook die veiligheid en sekuriteit van voetgangers oorweeg deur die daaglikse uitdagings en risiko's wat pendelaars in die Wes-Kaap ondervind, in ag te neem. Die doel van die studie was om die toestand van die huidige NGV-fasiliteite te ondersoek, en hoe pendelaars die veiligheidsvlakke ervaar wanneer hulle na Bellville, Mitchells Plain en Claremont se openbare vervoer-wisselaars reis. Literatuuroorsigte is gedoen, waarin verskillende voorbeelde van ontwikkelende lande wat hoë verkeersongelukke en sterftes by voetgangers soos in Suid-Afrika ondervind, vergelyk is. Hierdie voorbeelde illustreer die belangrikheid van die implementering van voldoende NGV-fasiliteite en die rol wat die eindgebruiker speel in die sukses van die fasiliteit. Ongeluks en kriminele data is ontleed as bydraende faktore tot die veiligheid en sekuriteits risiko’ss van voetgangers. 'n Omgewingsevaluering van voetgangers is gedoen om die toestand van NGV te bepaal, en die vraelys is aan pendelaars wat na die PTI reis, versprei om hul persepsie en daaglikse ervaring te verskaf. Die data toon baie faktore wat voetgangers beïnvloed ten opsigte van blootstelling aan kriminele aktiwiteite en ongelukke, maar ook die pendelaars se opinies en sienings. Verder is 'n ANOVA analiese voltooi om vas te stel of daar 'n afwyking was tussen die gemiddel vir elke PTI. Met behulp van die geëvalueerde data is 'n aksieplan met teenmaatreëls voltooi wat beproefde metodes vir verbetering van die voetgangersomgewing aanbeveel. Uit die data wat geëvalueer is, blyk dit dat die betrokke NGV-fasiliteite by elke PTI aanwesig is, maar weens swak onderhoud het die fasiliteite agteruitgegaan. Daarom is die gevolgtrekking dat pendelaars 'n lae vlak van veiligheid en sekuriteit ervaar wanneer hulle na PTI's reis. Daar is 'n hoë vlak van kriminele aktiwiteite en ongeluksrisikos rondom die PTI's. Boonop meen pendelaars dat die polisie se teenwoordigheid weinig tot geen invloed op hul veiligheid en sekurituit het nie. Die ontleding van variasie het getoon dat pendelaars in voortdurende vrees reis, ongeag na watter PTI hulle reis. Daar is lae veiligheidsvlakke, en pendelaars is nie veilig nie. Die gevolgtrekking is gemaak dat lae veiligheidsvlakke bestaan en dat pendelaars nie veilig voel nie. Alhoewel, voldoende infrastruktuur voorsien word, moet voorkeur gegee word aan veiligheid en sekuriteit van voetgangers.
Description
Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2020.
Keywords
Public transportation -- Interchanges, UCTD, Pedastrians -- Safety measures, Public transportation -- Security measures
Citation