The role of users in bicycle transportation integrated with public transportation systems: The case of Kabul city (Afghanistan)

Nowadays in many cities automobiles are considered as one of the significant reason for traffic density and air pollution. Among the affective factors on life quality in Kabul, a city where this problem tangibly seen, transportation problem and transportation-caused environmental pollution problem are the main factors. There are two reasons in fundamental of transportation-caused problem in Kabul city. The first one is transportation system and its management, the other one is infrastructure of road and its designation. This study is focused on the problems caused by transportation system and its management; the potential of bicycle usage culture, which has a long history in the city, in terms of transportation problems is mentioned. It is difficult to say that the Kabul city has an affective transportation system, according to an evaluation of general transportations structure, sustainability, capacity and security. Ensuring public transport by buses and minibuses organized by private sector, lack of control and problems regarding to lack of transfer systems with high automobile dependency in urban transportation are dilemmas faced by the city. In contrary, the prevalence of developed bicycle usage culture that has historical background and receiving no public supports; in addition, the tendency/desire of bicycle users to use their bicycles integrated with public transportation constitutes an important potential for urban transportation. Within the scope of the study, the questionnaires are collected as the result of face-to-face interview with the bicycle users of common bicycle used regions in Kabul that was certified previously. The founding shows that bicycle users consist mostly of workers and students and the affective factors for using bicycles has been obtained being more economical. According to field study the most difficult problems that bicycle users facing are; the spreading of the city with population growth, lacks of infrastructure, attitude towards bicycle users and despite of desire of integrating use of bicycles with public transport by bicycle users facing many difficulties. The consequences obtained from the study show that the use of bicycle in urban transportation will increase whenever, the mentioned problems are solved and specially if the integration of public transportation and bicycle usage is supported by the public. Key Words: Public Transportation, Bicycle, Public Transportation with Bicycle Integration, Kabul