Informal public transport (IPT) has emerged as an adaptive alternative to formal public transport in developing countries. The informal public transport service has both positive and negative impacts on the wellbeing of urban dwellers. As such, there are varying discourses on whether IPT should be considered an urban resource or a problem. The impact of urban growth in terms of population increase and urban spatial sprawl creates public transport challenges in developing countries. It is against this backdrop that this study explored the perceptions of informal public transport stakeholders on the quality of service (QoS) experienced in the City of Ibadan, Nigeria. A pragmatist philosophical approach is adopted in this study in order to explore the stakeholders' perceptions of the QoS of IPT in Ibadan. A convergent mixed methods research design was employed to explore the set objectives seeking to understand how the impact of urban growth in Ibadan has developed a demand for public transport, more so against the backdrop of the diminished public investment in transport services and infrastructure. The study seeks to identify and explore stakeholders' perceptions on the established IPT in Ibadan. The study developed a multi-criteria evaluation model to explore and analyse such perceptions on QoS on identified three Local Government Authorities (LGAs) in Ibadan. The identified issues are discussed using culture sensitisation of governance in the context of Ibadan and reflecting such perceptions against the ideals for individuals and public. Findings from the study reveal mixed stakeholders' perceptions. The descriptive analysis and narratives of the stakeholders reveal that some of the criteria are positively perceived. The application of the Kruskal Wallis Analysis for variability across the three studied local authorities reveal that there is insignificant influence of the socioeconomic characteristics of the users on perceptions of IPT. However, an analysis of individual criteria established in the multi-criteria evaluation model reveals a low users' perceptions of the QoS provided by IPT users. The study concludes that the positive perceptions attributed by users of the IPT, despite its otherwise poor QoS, is explained by the fact that the use of IPT in Ibadan is not out of public choice but a necessity given that there is no other alternative mode of public transport. Consequently, the study concludes that perceptions of informal public transport relate to the impact on individuals and public wellbeing. This is alternative thought from discourses that perceive urban growth in terms of population growth and physical spatial sprawl to the shift towards explaining the impact of urban growth and need for transport in terms of public wellbeing. Following on to this, the study draws a recommendation for a transport policy and practice developed from the nexus of the regulatory state, the informal transport sector and the users of informal transport driven by the view that informal transport is a key contributor to public wellbeing in cities of the developing world. Thus, the IPT should be sensitised as a permanent and 'formal' element for the City of Ibadan and not perceived as illegal and targeted for withdrawal from the urban.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:762957 |
| Date | January 2018 |
| Creators | Olowosegun, Adebola |
| Contributors | Moyo, Dumiso ; Gopinath, Deepak |
| Publisher | University of Dundee |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Source | https://discovery.dundee.ac.uk/en/studentTheses/edff0cd9-eea6-48f9-b173-2680082b6d34 |
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