Abstract:
Socioeconomic factors, such as a high rate of unemployment and low income resulting in
the inability to use public transport, coupled with the rising cost of living, have become core
elements compelling pedestrians in peri-urban areas to opt for nonmotorized transport
systems (NMTs). Peri-urban areas are nonurban locations directly adjacent to metropolitan
areas that house a mixture of urban and rural populations, activities and infrastructure.
Walking is one of the most sustainable modes of transport; it not only benefits the health
and social interaction of users but also contributes positively to the environment by
reducing the carbon footprint. However, the disregard of NMT infrastructure maintenance
in most peri-urban areas in South Africa poses safety risks, forcing facility users to walk
within roadways and possibly increasing the rate of pedestrian road accidents. A lack of
maintenance further leads to defects such as uneven walkways, unsecured or broken
manholes, malfunctioning traffic and streetlights, and missing road signs. Therefore, it is
imperative to evaluate and develop maintenance plans to enhance the existing
infrastructure and ensure sustainable, accessible and safer transport systems. A mixed-
method research approach involving exhaustive site surveys of selected pedestrian
walkways in peri-urban to urban areas and further investigation of existing maintenance
strategies is proposed. The results will provide critical insights into measures to improve
pedestrian walkway accessibility in peri-urban areas. Subsequently, a robust conceptual
framework for maintenance strategies for NMT infrastructures in peri-urban areas is
proposed.
