Can Electric Shared Mobility Increase the Effectiveness of Feeder Systems to Bus Rapid Transit Stations in African Cities? A Systematic Literature Review

Efficient urban transport systems are crucial for sustainable urban growth. Cities in Africa are experiencing increased traffic growth because of urbanisation, and this is increasing congestion, travel time, and levels of air pollution. With the United Nations’ climate change target of reaching Net Zero by 2050, many cities are looking to embrace the use of sustainable transport alternatives, including Electric Vehicles (EVs). Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) provides a sustainable and effective means to move a larger number of people; however, there is very limited research considering the sustainability of feeder systems that provide access to MRT. This research uses literature to investigate the accessibility to Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems in four major African cities and the barriers and drivers of using EVs in their respective feeder networks. Lessons on the trunk-feeder system of BRT are gathered from South American cities that have more established BRT services. Research reveals that the current access modes to BRT stations, such as the use of two- and three-wheelers and other paratransit modes, are not sustainable as they contribute to traffic congestion and air pollution. A systematic literature review considering the barriers and drivers to EV adoption reveals that three main methods are typically used for identifying both factors, and they are hypothesis-based method, ranking method, and choice modelling. These methods give room for researchers, planners, and policymakers to confirm speculations and probabilities, prioritise factors based on importance and understand choices of consumers given different scenarios and options.