Mobility Disruptions in Accra: Recurrent Flooding, Fragile Infrastructure and Climate Change

Abstract

This paper analyzes the mobility disruptions experienced by urban residents in relation to heavy precipitation and flooding of roads. The empirical focus is Accra, Ghana, a rapidly growing African city with discernible challenges in its transport system and a longstanding history of recurrent flood hazards, which are likely to be exacerbated by climate change in the future. In a context where there is very little mobility data available from official sources, the paper utilizes data from a large mobility survey (n = 1053) conducted through in-person interviews in July–August 2021 in 10 selected neighborhoods in Accra’s sprawling periphery. The survey targeted economically active adults, who are travelling regularly in relation to their income-generating activities. The survey recorded respondents’ experiences with a wide range of mobility disruptions caused by heavy precipitation and water on the roads. The analysis of survey data is supplemented with insights from qualitative interviews with a range of local key informants (n = 75). The research illuminates the diversity of mobility disruptions experienced by Accra’s residents during and after heavy precipitation events and the adverse implications for livelihoods and access to markets and services. The results highlight that mobility disruptions related to heavy precipitation are an extremely commonplace experience for residents in Accra’s periphery, across a diverse collection of neighborhoods and across travel patterns and traveler characteristics. While existing research tends to privilege the most dramatic and disastrous flood events and the associated destruction of property, this research, however, draws attention to the somewhat under-researched topic of mobility disruptions to everyday activities and their implications for livelihoods and access to markets and services.

‘We are at the mercy of the floods!’ : Extreme weather events, disrupted mobilities, and everyday navigation in urban Ghana

“…Previous studies have highlighted how floods affect the road network, with consequent service interruption and mobility disruption (Cook & Butz, 2013; Moller‐Jensen et al ., 2022). Flooded surfaces and unmotorable roads are the most common barriers to mobility among low‐income urban residents (Andreasen et al ., 2022; Böcker et al ., 2013; Ryser & Halseth, 2008). Most injuries and fatalities during floods occur when attempting to cross floodwaters, either on foot or in vehicles (Salvati et al ., 2018).…”

“…As Andreasen et al . (2022) also found, during severe floods fewer trotros run and those that operate take different routes as major roads leading to the city centre become inaccessible, making it very difficult to find transport. In the words of Miliki, a woman living in Odawna, ‘travelling to the market and city centre becomes a harrowing experience of fear and uncertainty’.…”

“…At the same time, vulnerable communities and populations are becoming less mobile due to limited financial, social and physical assets and networks (Akyelken, 2020; Cook & Butz, 2013). As research to date has focused on the most catastrophic weather events and accompanying damage to property and loss of life, greater knowledge is needed on how weather extremes affect the mobility and activities of low‐income urban residents and how this varies across age, gender and location (Andreasen et al ., 2022).…”

Impact of public transport disruption on access to healthcare facility and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative case study in Metro Manila, Philippines

“…According to Mattsson and Jenelius (2015) , disruptions to the operations of transport systems include (a) accidental events, such as technical failures (e.g., Li et al, 2022 ), adverse weather conditions ( Pregnolato et al, 2017 ) and natural disasters ( Kocatepe et al, 2019 ), and (b) intentional interference such as labor strikes ( Saberi et al, 2018 ). These disruptions may cause a reduction or even loss of access to critical facilities and services, adversely affecting general well-being ( Dong et al, 2020 , Andreasen et al, 2022 ).…”

Adapting to the Impacts Posed by Climate Change: Applying the Climate Change Risk Indicator (CCRI) Framework in a Multi-Modal Transport System

“…Another study related to road safety was undertaken in Saudi Arabia that quantified the costs of road traffic accidents because of increased death and injuries due to changing climate variables, namely, precipitation, temperature, and sandstorms [67]. The latest survey investigated the mobility impacts on the road posed by flooding and heavy precipitation within urban residences in Ghana, Africa [68].…”