Mobility Inequality of Disadvantaged Groups in Greater Cairo Region.

Mobility inequality in the Greater Cairo Region (GCR) affects disadvantaged groups of women, children and adolescents, elderly people, and persons with disabilities. These groups require inclusive mobility arrangements or protection on the streets. The research aims to explore the existing mobility inequality in GCR, through reviewing the trips of an introductory sample of disadvantaged groups and their transport choice. The paper reviews the concepts of mobility inequality, disadvantaged groups, and the United Nations standards of adequate urban mobility, which are utilized as a guide for the empirical study. The primary data collection applied two qualitative research methods, which are semi-structured interviews, and on-site trips/investigations of the urban mobility in GCR. Additionally, general figures on the target groups in GCR and Egypt are deployed as the secondary data. Subsequently, the research demonstrates a sample of the existing experiences of mobility inequality, local context realities, and consequential life compromises in GCR. The paper then aligns the priorities of the interviewed sample with their transport choices, which is the focus of the study. The investigated sample demonstrated high interest in car ownership, only to avoid challenges they encounter via walking and public transport, including issues like harassment and the inadequate, unsafe urban mobility experience. Finally, the paper suggests two sets of recommendations, the first set addresses the mobility inequality and proposed solutions as per the investigated sample. The second set incepts further research on mobility inequality, towards integrating the needs of the disadvantaged groups in GCR within the planning and delivering of urban mobility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]