Lessons From Climate and Pandemic‐Induced Disruptions in Building Public Transport Resilience

Bibliographic Data

ID22018365
AuthorsEsperance Munezero Hirwa (0000-0002-8116-479X, University of KwaZulu-Natal), Mohamed Mostafa Hassan (0000-0002-5163-5861, University of KwaZulu-Natal)
Year2025
Volume10
Publication date2025-10-13
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueUrban Planning (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2183-7635 • E-ISSN: 2183-7635
PublisherCogitatio (PUBLISHER • PT)
DOI10.17645/up.9943
OpenAlexW4415102991
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited49

The transport system faces numerous disturbances from climate change and other events, such as the Covid‐19 pandemic. This study evaluates the resilience of public transport systems by applying the qualitative 4R framework—robustness, redundancy, resourcefulness, and rapidity—to four case studies drawn from the UK, South Africa, Mexico, and the United States. The analysis demonstrates that climate‐induced disruptions predominantly expose infrastructural weaknesses and strain institutional capacity, while pandemic‐related disruptions challenge the adaptability and operational flexibility of transport services. Notable findings include the critical role of early warning systems, the significance of sustained investment in resilient infrastructure—as evidenced in the UK and Mexico—and the detrimental impact of inadequate infrastructure maintenance, particularly in South Africa. The study advances recommendations for enhancing resilience, emphasising the adoption of integrated, multimodal transport systems, and reinforcing institutional coordination and planning capacity

Adaptability · Climate change · Critical infrastructure · Psychological resilience · Public transport · Warning system · Disaster Management and Resilience · Evacuation and Crowd Dynamics · Infrastructure Resilience and Vulnerability Analysis

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