ABSTRACT
Transport is inherently linked to the city; it is not only a critical aspect of sustainable cities but also a defining aspect of inequality (Blowers and Pain 1999, 279). Social and economic conditions of people determine transport demands and social class influences mobility, accessibility and choices. Policies and infrastructural development are designed to accommodate the requirements of dominant social groups offering or limiting opportunities of individual commuters and often travel patterns do not reflect actual needs of travellers. Means of transport are not as important as the purpose of a journey, transport is a derived demand; hence facilities are often rudimentary and ignore the experiences of the travellers (Hamilton and Hoyle 1999, 58). People use inadequate travel provisions because they have no alternative (Vasconcellos 2001, 207). In addition, pedestrians and non-motorised transport are almost entirely neglected despite the fact that walking is an essential if not the predominant means of transport in cities, does not contribute to environmental pollution and allows for human interactions in the public realm (Vasconcellos 2001, 111). Transport networks bring people together but also divide communities; usually pedestrians have to make detours to a pedestrian bridge or underpass in order to get safely across the freeway or railway tracks and people living closest to the freeway often belong to the social class that can the least afford a car (Hamilton and Hoyle 1999, 52).
