ABSTRACT
This chapter engages with a discussion on the role of transport mobility in the wellbeing of low-income urban citizens of the Global South. Using the case of Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city, we explore transport-related vulnerabilities and disadvantages for low-income and vulnerable groups and how they are addressed by local transport. First, the chapter aims to illustrate the importance of new knowledge(s) and methodologies critical to the future of transport planning in the Global South. Moving away from traditional measures of mobility, the chapter explores the potential of wellbeing as an operational concept in transport planning. By focusing on the different dimensions of wellbeing, a more rounded view of transport in the life of urban dwellers is developed, which leads transport planning down new avenues of knowledge and methodologies in the pursuit of more socially just cities. Second, in doing so, the chapter also seeks to reflect on what are essential mobilities and to explore the contribution of transport to achieve a quality of life that recognises the diverse identities of all urban citizens. The chapter showcases evidence of transport-related wellbeing in three dimensions: material, relational and subjective, building on information of daily travel practices, social and cultural identities, socio-demographic characteristics and subjective perceptions from low-income and vulnerable populations. Such information was collected through quantitative and qualitative instruments tailored to a conceptual framework for understanding personal wellbeing. Findings confront objective and subjective measures of wellbeing, suggesting added relevance of transport as either a potential enabler or constraint to personal autonomy and freedom, as well as the relevance of security and personal and collective expectations in defining the influence of transport policy in the lives of lower-income citizens.
