The environmental and social impacts of modes of transport: a case study of Chilanga peri-urban

Thumbnail Image
Date
2015-06-15
Authors
Kilembe, Lizzy
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
The environmental impacts of transport are the major concern of the world today. The world has reached its advanced stage were there is advanced technology. Different modes of transport are used today especially motorised transport. With increase of transport use, many studies world over are being conducted to access the impact of transport on the environment. A study was conducted in peri-urban of Kafue District, Lusaka Province. Transport facilitates movement of people, goods and services from one place to another, thereby bringing about development. Though transport is vital to development it affects the environment negatively.This project attempts to assess the impact of different modes of transport on the environment and socio-economic activities of people. A questionnaire was used to collect data from the residents of Chilanga peri-urban. The residents were selected using a random sampling method. The questionnaire contained questions that included modes of transport used, the impact of transport on the environment, the socio-economic activities people engage, in the impact of transport on socio-economic activities and the attitudes and perception of people towards the impact of transport on the environment and socio-economic activities other sources of information included secondary data obtained from Environmental council of Zambia, the University of Zambia library, geography department. This study found out that people use different modes of transport such as non-niotorised transport, which include, feet and bicycle and motorised transport, which include bus, car and truck The modes of transport have and effect on the environment. The motorised transport (car, bus and truck) cause noise and air pollution on the environment due to internal combustion of engine. Hooting also cause noise. Motorised and non- motorised cause littering on the environment because people tend to throw litter on the environment whilst moving. The modes of transport also occupy space. Non-motorised cause loss of vegetation they used vegetated land to move on. Bus, train, car and bicycle cause injuries and deaths when they run over people and when they crash. Car and bus cause dust pollution by stirring up the dust as they move along side the road and gravel roads. These modes of transport are used to canyout socio-economic activities, such as religious, health, education, recreation, agriculture, business and salaried employment. These modes used have and impact on socio-economic activities of people, bicycle, feet, bus and car enables people reach various places where activities take place and do the activities, bicycle, feet, taick and bus transport goods, inputs, outputs and resources from points of production to points of consumption. The feet, bicycle and bus transport cause delays of activities. Feet and bicycle are slow and tiresome while bus is fast but takes time to reach areas due to traffic congestion and bus drivers wait for buses to fill up hence causing delays. Bus and car cause people to do activities at a cost in that they are required to pay a fare for being transported. Bus cause people to gain low profits because tares for the goods carried are high.People's perception and attitude to the impact of transport are that something should be done to eliminate and lessen or alleviate the impacts of transport on the environment and socio-economic activities. In conclusion, the objectives of the research were achieved. The modes of transport used were found to be non-motorised and motorised transport. The modes of transport were found to have an impact on the environment and socio-economic activities.
Description
Keywords
Environmental Impact Analysis-Zambia , Transportation, Automotive-Zambia
Citation
Collections