Space syntax: evaluating the influence of urban form and socio-economy on walking behaviour in neighbourhoods of Akure, Nigeria

Walking within neighbourhoods had been found to be beneficial in many ways including health, but there is the need to consider factors that will influence walking behaviour for planning purposes. Finding factors of walkability requires more than one tool of measurement since it involves urban form and socio-economy. The space syntax method had been applied in examining urban form (street structure) and the socio-economic factor was measured using regression analysis, within neighbourhoods of contrasting characteristics. This paper examines the syntactical properties relating to the new urbanist area and core area of the city, relating to their walking behaviour, examining the people’s socio-economic characteristics, investigating the individuals’ walking behaviour and factors explaining the variance of walkability in the study area. The paper concludes by using the findings to recommend strategies that planners, designers, and policy-makers can use to design successful transit and pedestrian-oriented developments.