This thesis starts from the position that the enterprise of transport planning is failing to deliver a transport system which fully meets the needs of urban dwellers. Criticisms of the process are presented and it is argued that one reason for the lack of delivery is the insufficient attention paid by transport planning professionals, and researchers, to the decision-making process. The nature of decision-making is explored by reference to various theoretical models of decision-making, and it is concluded that decision-making in an existing situation must be comprehensively described, before recommendations for its improvement can be made. Cape Town is chosen as the city for investigation. Checkland's Soft Systems Methodology is used for describing urban transport decision-making in Cape Town, and the approach is informed by seventeen in-depth interviews and forty-five questionnaires with decisionmakers. The analysis yields insights which are categorised into four areas: issues of institutional re- . organisation and funding; issues of politician involvement; issues of change in officials; issues of public involvement. An action plan is developed from the insights. It is concluded that the Soft Systems Methodology was useful in highlighting problematic areas in the decision-making process. The Cape Town experience is briefly compared with that of six other case studies. It is concluded that the Cape Town experience, although unique due to political upheaval in South Africa, also has some similar traits to that of other case studies. Finally some general conclusions about urban transport decision-making are made, which could be useful in considerations of how to improve the delivery of urban transport.

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