Inclusive Design Creates a Safer Transportation System for All Residents of Peshawar, Pakistan

The Zu Peshawar project replaced an unreliable, private transport patchwork with a state-of-the-art Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system designed for inclusivity. By incorporating gender-sensitive features and accessibility tools, the system significantly increased female ridership from 2% to 20% and provided step-free access for wheelchair users. The project also included a Bus Industry Restructuring Program to transition former operators into formal employment with better conditions. Utilizing diesel-hybrid buses to reduce emissions, the system serves an average of 250,000 passengers daily and has inspired other Pakistani cities to upgrade their transit infrastructure.

• The Zu Peshawar BRT system significantly increased accessibility and safety for marginalized groups through gender-sensitive and inclusive design features, including reserved seating, separate entrances and ticketing booths, better-lit stations, and CCTV monitors. These measures contributed to a rise in female ridership from approximately 2% under the previous system to 20% of BRT passengers.
• The system provides comprehensive accessibility for people with disabilities, featuring 100% step-free access to buses and stations for wheelchair users, as well as sound and sign language systems to assist visually and hearing-impaired passengers.
• To protect the livelihoods of existing transport workers, TransPeshawar implemented a Bus Industry Restructuring Program. This program provided financial compensation for scrapping old vehicles and offered training and employment opportunities, resulting in reduced working hours (from 14-15 hours to 7-8 hours daily) and the provision of salaries, medical facilities, and lodging for new drivers.
• The BRT system utilizes diesel-hybrid buses to reduce emissions based on current technological expertise and electric grid capacity, with future plans to transition to fully electric buses. The system serves an average of 250,000 passengers per day, reaching a peak of 265,000 in its first year of operation.

APA

World Resources Institute (2023). Inclusive Design Creates a Safer Transportation System for All Residents of Peshawar, Pakistan. https://www.wri.org/insights/zu-peshawar-transforms-mobility-pakistan

Chicago

World Resources Institute. Inclusive Design Creates a Safer Transportation System for All Residents of Peshawar, Pakistan. 2023. https://www.wri.org/insights/zu-peshawar-transforms-mobility-pakistan.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=Inclusive Design Creates a Safer Transportation System for All Residents of Peshawar, Pakistan |date=19 January 2023 |url=https://www.wri.org/insights/zu-peshawar-transforms-mobility-pakistan |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitute2023inclusive, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{Inclusive Design Creates a Safer Transportation System for All Residents of Peshawar, Pakistan}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, year = {2023}, month = jan, url = {https://www.wri.org/insights/zu-peshawar-transforms-mobility-pakistan}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }