Evaluating and Identifying Indicators of Social Sustainability in Urban Transportation of Ahvaz City

جغرافیا و توسعه فضای شهری

Article 6, Volume 1, Issue 2 - Serial Number 1, March 2015, Pages 103-115   

Document Type: Scientific-Research

DOI: 10.22067/gusd.v1i1.26470

Authors

Saeid Amanpour; Hadi Alizadeh^*

Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz

Abstract

Extended Abstract

1. INTRODUCTION
Today, the prospects of sustainable development have influenced all aspects of human society since its introduction in the late 1970s. Urban transportation is one of these areas. A study of evolution in urban transport during the twentieth century reveals that his field due to its malfunction in economic, social and environmental areas, which are the key elements of sustainable development, has raised the need for a consistent approach in the late 20 century. Specifically, in the social sphere, it faces challenges like increased accidents and rate of fatalities caused by it, greater social inequality in access to urban transport services, especially after the adoption of new technologies in this area, reluctance toward the use of public transportation and its services for all segments of society. These are some of the reasons heightening the instability of transportation in society.

2. METHODOLOGY
This is a descriptive-analytical study that seeks to assess and identify indicators of social sustainability of urban transport in the city of Ahvaz. To achieve the research goal, 322 residents of Ahwaz were selected using multistage random and cluster sampling and their opinions were sought. For data analysis, techniques such as factor analysis and t-test were used in SPSS software.
3. DISCUSSION
To assess the social sustainability of urban transport in Ahvaz, 20 relevant variables were identified. In the analysis of variables with the aim of finding main factors of social stability, three factors of social justice (8 variables), social security (7 variables) and social welfare (5 variables) were identified. The prioritization of factors indicates that the status of social justice (0.0452) in the urban transportation of Ahvaz is not satisfactory, requiring immediate attention and should be high on priority.

4. CONCLUSION
The results showed that of 20 variables selected to assess the social sustainability of urban transport in Ahvaz, three main variables of social justice, social security and social welfare explained 89% of the variance in data, thus acting as the main factors of social sustainability of urban transportation in Ahvaz. The results of the survey carried out among the residents of Ahwaz showed that the status of social justice in Ahvaz urban transportation was unsatisfactory and it should be prioritized in the agenda of Ahvaz city.

Keywords

Sustainable transportation; Social sustainability; Sustainability indicators; Ahvaz City

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