Transactions on the Built Environment vol 30, © 1997 WIT Press, www.witpress.com, ISSN 1743-3509 Commuter perceptions on private and public transport modes : A case study D. Allopi & *A.K. Sarkar Department of Civil Engineering, ML Sultan Technikon, P O Box 1334, Durban, 4000, South Africa EMail: allopid@wpo. m Isultan. ac. za *rmM,sporf2&, CS% f O Box JPJ, f rcfona, 0007, EMail:
[email protected] Abstract In recent years, the emphasis on economic efficiency and the optimum utilization of existing transport infrastructures have featured high on the Government's agenda universally. South Africa is no exception and is currently seeking strategies to optimise capacity utilization and to achieve a level of integration between modes. Because of the previous apartheid regime, the transport facilities were provided without considering the population as a whole, but only for a minor section. Sometimes, expensive infrastructures were constructed in certain areas without proper planning. Chatsworth, one of the major suburban areas of the city of Durban, is a typical example of such kind of planning. To understand the reasons for the steady decline in rail patronage, a home interview survey was conducted amongst the commuters in this area in order to establish their attitudes, preferences and priorities concerning the existing transportation situation. 1 Introduction In the absence of comprehensive landuse-transportation plans, most of the major cities in South Africa are scattered and the suburban areas are quite far off from the city centres with just one or two major connecting links. This has resulted in most of these roads operate at forced flow conditions during the morning and afternoon peaks.