Open AccessEvaluation of Social and Environmental Aspects of Lahore Metro Bus Transit Through Public Opinion
Author(s) -
Asma Mansoor,
Iqra Zahid,
Laila Shahzad
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal of environmental science and management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.156
H-Index - 9
ISSN - 0119-1144
DOI - 10.47125/jesam/2016_2/04
Subject(s) - livelihood , public transport , business , transport engineering , urbanization , public opinion , willingness to pay , socioeconomics , economic growth , engineering , agriculture , economics , geography , political science , archaeology , politics , law , microeconomics
Metro Bus Transit (MBT) is highly innovative and advanced transportation technology. Due to rapid urbanization in city Lahore, construction of MBT was considered as top priority technology to balance the demand. The main objective of the study was to evaluate environmental and social impacts of MBT before and after its construction, and the willingness of the people to use it. The study was conducted using a questionnaire during and after the construction of MBT. Face-to-face interviews of 500 hundred respondents who were users, contractors, residents and non-residents along the corridors of MBT were conducted. Mostly, male users were found due to the higher seats availability for them in bus that caused gender inequality. MBT has influenced the livelihood of many people in a positive way such as it created jobs as respondents were expecting. Only lower socio-economic respondents shifted their mode of transportation from own vehicles to MBT. Despite this, the respondents also expressed the need to improve other infrastructures and projects such as electricity supply, education, healthcare facility and other basic needs. Respondents showed high willingness to use MBT rather than conventional public transport and satisfied from its impacts. However, more amendments and improvements should be proposed for enhancing the efficiency of Metro Bus Transit.