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The measurement of quality of life (QoL) can be used as an urban planning tool to address challenges confronting the management of urban centers. The results of such measurements may provide the required basis for formulating future spatial and urban planning policies. Using the city of Kumasi, this paper examines the determinants of QoL of residents. This study surveyed 500 households. A subjective residents’ assessment of QoL and a Factor Analysis are performed to explore the determinants of QoL and their relative importance. The results show an acceptable goodness of fit, supporting the view that the main determinants of QoL are health, housing, economic status and neighborhood.Keywords: Quality of life; Subjective quality of life; Domain satisfaction; Factor analysis; Kumasi.

The study examines the "Living Close to Work" policy within the Greater Vancouver Region. Specifically it investigates the effects this policy would have on work trip lengths within the region. A review of relevant literature and empirical research reveals factors which could influence work trip lengths within the Greater Vancouver Region. Among these factors are city size, location of residences and workplaces, and income. Data for the study were taken from the Vancouver Area Travel Study and the 1971 Canada Census. Data on work trip lengths were obtained from the Vancouver Area Travel Study files and data on labour force:job ratios and average household incomes from the 1971 Census. Regression analysis was used to investigate the relationship between work trip lengths and labour force:job ratios and work trip lengths and average household incomes. A descriptive analysis of work trip length characteristics for downtown and non-downtown employment centers was used to study how travel and job location are related. The investigation establishes that: a) people who live in high income subareas of the Lower Mainland travel no less and no more than the population as a whole in going to and from work; b) mean and median travel times to the suburban centers are shorter than the corresponding figures to the downtown workplaces; c) between 1965 and 1972 mean work trip distances to non-downtown locations increased faster than the mean work trip distance to the downtown; d) areas with high labour force:job ratios tend to have long work trip lengths; e) average work trip length in Greater Vancouver and the trip length frequency distribution for Greater Vancouver appear quite typical of those for moderate and large cities. The implications of these conclusions for the "Living Close to Work" policy for the region are worked out. The study suggests that this policy will not result in a substantial reduction in work trip travel distance. However, there are indications that it will result in worthwhile work trip travel time savings as well as other benefits. An area for further research is suggested and observations made on data requirements for such a study.

Städte sind aufgrund der zunehmend negativen Auswirkungen des Verkehrs auf die Umwelt an vorderster Front der nachhaltigen Entwicklung und der nachhaltigen Mobilität. In den Städten Subsahara-Afrikas scheinen jedoch die Akteure und Hauptvertreter nachhaltiger Mobilität den Herausforderungen bei der Erreichung nachhaltiger Mobilitätsziele im öffentlichen Verkehr nicht gewachsen zu sein. Vor diesem Hintergrund untersucht diese vergleichende Studie die institutionellen Antworten auf das Erfordernis nachhaltiger Mobilitätslösungen im öffentlichen Verkehr in der Stadtregion Accra (Ghana) und der Stadt Dar es Salaam (Tansania) im Hinblick auf die vorhandenen Kapazitäten der Institutionen, Koordinations sowie Kommunikationsmechanismen. Die Studie folgt einem qualitativen Forschungsdesign und wendet Methoden an, die mit den wesentlichen Grundannahmen qualitativer sozialwissenschaftlicher Forschung übereinstimmen. Die Ergebnisse der Studie zeigen, dass nachhaltiger ÖPNV in beiden Städten als die Nutzung von Fahrzeugen mit höherer Auslastung, klar definierten lokalen Zielen für nachhaltigen ÖPNV und ganzheitlichen Regulierungssystemen wahrgenommen wird. Die vergleichende Analyse der beiden Städte in Bezug auf das Schlüsselthema Governance zeigt, dass im Fall der Stadt Accra das Fehlen eines Stadtrats mit einem entsprechenden Stadtoberhaupt oder einem Champion wie im Fall der Stadt Dar es Salaam ein wichtiger limitierender Faktor ist, der Entwicklungsprogramme, -pläne und -projekte verzögert. Die unzureichende Koordinierung zwischen den Institutionen wiederum führt im Fall von Dar es Salaam trotz des Vorhandenseins eines Stadtrats zu doppelten Strukturen und zur Zersplitterung der knappen Ressourcen. Folglich werden kurzfristige, mittelfristige und langfristige Strategien für Entwicklungsmaßnahmen in der Stadtregion Accra und der Stadt Dar es Salaam vorgeschlagen. Cities are at the forefront of sustainable development and sustainable mobility due to the rising negative impacts of transportation to the environment. Actors and key stakeholders for sustainable mobility in cities in Sub-Sahara Africa however seem not ready for the associated challenges towards the attainment of sustainable mobility for public transport. It is against this background that this study comparatively investigates the institutional responses to sustainable mobility for public transport in Accra city-region (Ghana) and Dar es Salaam city (Tanzania) in the light of existing capacity of the institutions, coordination and communication mechanisms. This study adopts the qualitative research design and methodological choices that are in conformity with the ideologies of this design in Social Science Research. Findings from the study reveal that both cities perceive sustainable public transport as use of higher occupancy vehicles, clearly defined local goals on sustainable public transport and holistic regulation regime. The comparative overview analysis of the two cities in line with the key issue of governance indicates that in the case of Accra city region, the absence of a city council with a respective city head or champion as in the case of Dar es Salaam city is a major limiting factor retarding development programmes, plans, and projects. Inadequate coordination among institutions, on the other hand, results in duplication of efforts and dispersal of scarce resources in the case of Dar es Salaam despite the presence of a city council. Consequently, short term policies, medium term policies, and long-term policies are proposed for development interventions in Accra city-region and Dar es Salaam city.