Sustaining livelihoods by improving urban public transport

This paper reports on application of the Sustainable Livelihoods Approach to the wider impacts of urban public transport on the lives of the urban poor in developing countries. In applying the Sustainable Livelihoods Approach to the research data, transport is considered as an asset within the Sustainable Livelihoods framework. It draws upon findings of case studies undertaken between 2001 and 2003 in Colombo (Sri Lanka), Faisalabad (Pakistan) and Dar-es-Salaam (Tanzania). Using a combination of quantitative and qualitative data, the study looks at price, affordability, accessibility and quality of public transport services.