ABSTRACT
Access to affordable, safe, and environmentally sustainable transport is a fundamental requirement for the well-being of urban dwellers since it balances functionality and prosperity of cities. Paradoxically, overall urban transport tends to worsen in direct relation to increasing economic gains in developing countries. For those without private motorized transport, access to widely dispersed facilities can be difficult. A consequence of the rapid motorization rates in developing countries is that, as travel becomes faster, cheaper, and easier for the wealthy, it becomes more challenging for the poor and vulnerable road users. This phenomenon is having overwhelming negative consequences, especially in urban areas. In this study, we adopt the term hypomobility to connote difficulty to achieve sustainable levels of physical mobility and accessibility. Hypomobility can result in a diminished ability to engage in economic opportunities and social activities, hence deepening poverty, social exclusion, and increasing costs of transport. The condition is especially pronounced in poor urban areas in developing countries, where socioeconomic inequalities have become prominent features of the development and urbanization processes. We offer a framework for policy makers to address hypomobility from an epidemiological approach with a view to identifying causal factors, recommending treatments, and even discussing the idea of transmission.
