| dc.description.abstract | This study of transportation in the Nairobi Area investigated four major aspects of the road transport system* The areas examined comprised the analysis of the road network properties and the explanation of the processes and factors that have shaped them9 public transportation and trip patterns , vehicle volumes and patterns of their movement and lastly the major problems of transportation
in the area The major network properties analysed consisted of network density, connectivity and accessibility* These were examined in relation to geographical variables such as distance, population, land use, relief and drainage* Public transportation was studied In terms of the relative importance of the city buses, taxis and matatus in the movement of people* A further analysis on this line consisted in the examination of trip modes and purposes in terms of their relative distribution both in space nnc time* Furthermore,the relationships between traffic movements on the
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nodal linkages and factors such as distance, notuork properties and land use were examined -O establish a basis for the understanding of -tic principles underlying the geography of rxvoments in the city. Lastly, the major road transport problems in the area were identified, their nature analysed and suggestions nade for their solution, on the basis of these analyses it was, therefore, concluded that distance from the City Centre is the most important geographical variable determining the road network and movement patterns in Nairobi,
The major findings of this study can be sixxa&rised ass
i. Road network density zones form concentric rings round the City Centre,
ii. The trunk, primary and secondary roads of Nairobi are 45 per cent connected, ill. Nodes on the road network system are
spatially organised according to their levels of accessibility at fairly regular distances from the Central Area,
iv. Taxis are used mainly for recreational and social trip purposes, v, Matatu Passenger Services are not only competitive, but also complementary and supplementary to the city bus services*
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vi* Trip distribution by modes is predominantly on iootf but in terms of purpose, work, school and business trips are the most important*
vii* over 50 per cent of the country *s
motor vehicle capacity are registered, used and are effectively owned in Nairobi*
viii. Motor vehicle movement patterns in the Central Area is predominantly to and from the west and north of the City Centro, and
ix* The major problems of transportation in the area were identified as accidents, mixed traffic and traffic congestion*
All these findings are of particular relevance to the understanding of the transport geography of Nairobi* This is particularly so in relation to the identification of the major spatial forms of the road network and their relationships with oilier aspects of the landscape including the phonomenon of traffic flow. Thus, the geographical significance of this study lies in the description, and explanation of the above phenomena as spatial aspecta of the human organisation of the landscape of Nairobi*
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PREFACE
Transportation geography is a subject with many component parts 9 each of which could be .Studied on its own right as a distinct field of investigation* This study was an attempt to integrate
the various aspects of the discipline at a sub-national scale* The approach was adopted by the author to give a complete picture and understanding
of the road transport sub-system of the aroa* The analysos9 therefore9 consisted of the anamination of the network 9 motor vehicle volumes and flow patterns 9 public transport and trip modes and lastly9 problems of transportation in the area* Such an approach made it possible to describe and explain circulation as the infrastructure of the geographic landscape of Nairobi* It is ny sincere hope that the view points and methods presented in this thesis will stimulate further investigations into those aspects less or not exhaustively touched*
Before concluding these prefatory remarks>
I should like to take this opportunity to acknowledge tho generous helping hands I received from various
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bodies and individuals, without which, this study would not have been accomplished. My first thanks must go to the Dean9s Committee of the university of Nairobi for the research grant whie which made the completion of this work possible* Secondly my thanks go to Professor S*H* Ominde of the Department of Geography who stimulated me with the idea of undertaking this study*
In preparing the thesis I received a good Coal of assistance# On this line my thanks irst go to Professor R.B. Ogendojwhose sympathetic and systematic advice and help made the work assume its present shape* Secondly I oust thank Dr# A# Ferguson for his detailed diopter to chapter advice and for enriching my statistical background knowledge in handling geographical data# To them, I owe a lot of academic debt# Among the people who nibbled at tho original draft of the thesis, I must thank Professor R*S. Odingo for his useful suggestions, va of whichjl incorporated* None of these poople bears any responsibility for ray errors and
omissions*
Z wish also to thank the following Cor their wonderful assistance In making data available for this studyt John Swal of the City Council9 A* sltuma of the City Council 9 a. Agalo ochleng of the Ministry of Works and last hut not least the Traffic Manager of Kenya Bus Service Company Ltd* Lastly,ray thanks go to Miss Jane Miduda for her cartographic work and to Miss Casey N. Senvuroo for typing the thesis. To each and evereveryone of these people,my heart-felt thanks | |
