An Evaluation of Sustainable Mobility Pattern in a Sub-urban University

Abstract

This study examined the travel pattern of staff and students within Ekiti State University Ado Ekiti, Nigeria campus. The goal is to determine the current level of use of sustainable modes and identify measures to improve them in a sub-urban university campus. The use of Google forms questionnaire survey was adopted to collect data. A total of 654 individuals consisting of 243 staff and 411 undergraduate students participated in the survey. The questionnaire covered themes including: choice of transport modes, challenges with various modes, and suggestions on what is required to improve modes. The results showed that 67.1% indicated that walking was one of their major modes of movement within the University while the use of motorized modes was selected by 65.5% - with personal vehicles selected by 32.9%; commercial tricycle, 23.9% and commercial motorcycle, 9%. Only 0.4% selected cycling. For the students, 80.2% indicated that walking was their major mode of movement within the University while the use of motorized modes was selected by 50% with personal vehicles selected by 2.9%; commercial tricycle, 34.8% and commercial motorcycle, 12.3%. 2.9% selected cycling. Similarly, when asked why staff might not want to cycle, the most important reason was lack of cycling facilities (22.2%) while the least important reason was unfriendly weather (7.8%). For the students, when asked why students might not want to cycle, the most important reason was also lack of cycling facilities (30.4%) while the least important reasons were weather (5.1%) and ‘I can afford a car’ (4.6%). When asked what improvement staff wanted to enhance cycling, the most important suggestion was dedicated and well maintained cycle lanes (53.5%). The students also had a similar response, suggesting dedicated and well maintained cycle lanes (49.3%) as the most important improvement required. These findings reveal that cycling poorly adopted as a transport mode and that much needs to be done to improve cycling as a mode within the University. The conclusions indicate that improvement in the adoption of cycling may be able to reduce the use of motorized mode which is shown to be high for both staff and students.