The term ‘transport’ is used in its widest sense to include all aspects of travel from walking and other non-motorized trips to public and private motorized journeys. However, air passenger travel is not included in the study, largely because it does not play a large part in the lives of low-income populations. Urban freight movements and their impacts on cities are also not really considered by the study, although they are sometimes highly relevant, especially those from rural areas into city centres.

The study is also far from comprehensive or systematic in its geographical coverage. Its find-ings are based on eight randomly selected case study cities and these analysed only the ex-tremely limited, publicly available evidence that could be identified through desk-based re-search. The simple aim of the study is to offer some high-level insights into the transport needs of the socially excluded populations living in African cities, as well as a flavour of how transport affects their everyday activities and livelihoods.

More robust empirical research is definitely needed, encompassing many more cities, to be able to offer a comprehensive picture of the important issues we raise in the report. This is the main intention behind the VREF’s major Mobility and Access in African Cities (MAC) programme started this year (2019).