Inclusive transport and design empower women and girls
As the UK marked International Women’s Day on the weekend, conversations in our industry around gender equity are increasingly turning toward the spaces we move through every day. In transport planning, inclusive design for women and girls is no longer a niche concept — it’s now shaping the future of mobility across the country.
In the past, transport systems and infrastructure have been largely designed around traditional male commuting patterns of peak-hour travel between home and work – which in itself is now outdated. Yet research from the Department for Transport and Transport for London highlights that women’s travel habits are typically more complex, often involving multi-purpose trips: school runs, caring responsibilities, community activities, part time work and shift work outside standard hours.
This difference matters because safety, accessibility, and comfort profoundly influence how, and whether, women and girls use public spaces and transport networks.
For me personally, lighting and safety generally in the dark are the biggest barriers to walking or taking public transport. This is something I’ve noticed impacting day-to-day life much more in London than in Australia where the lifestyle is generally more car-centric and daylight hours aren’t so impacted by seasons.
For a large part of the year in the UK, it’s dark outside when I travel to and from work amongst other daily responsibilities and social activities.
From dimly lit paths and underpasses to unreliable late-night bus and rail services, barriers to travel can limit access to education, employment, and social life.
UN statistics show 97% of young women in the UK have experienced sexual harassment in the public and that certainly rings true in conversations I’ve had. So, when often a male would have no qualms about travelling home by public transport and walking in the dark, I opt to take a taxi. The cost for women to participate is much higher, if it is an option to them at all.
Across the UK, initiatives are gaining momentum. Government programmes are beginning to embed inclusive design principles into everything from station lighting and seating layouts to digital wayfinding and community consultation.
Emerging technologies are also playing a role, with data collection informing smarter, fairer planning and providing real-time travel reporting apps.
Rovia is bringing a mix of simple and innovative solutions into our schemes. On each active travel scheme design we undertake site visits with male and female colleagues during the day and also in the hours of darkness to consider the environment from both perspectives, allowing us to consider the safety and comfort of each route. This helps us to identify the best designs which manage how people drive so that people feel safer walking and cycling while at the same time including improved lighting solutions, using an ‘eyes on the street’ approach to masterplanning and design to ensure routes are overlooked by buildings and used frequently by people. All of these factors contribute to a sense of safety for all.
However, inclusion isn’t just about physical infrastructure. Representation within the transport, design and planning professions is key. Increasing the number of women shaping policy and design ensures that diverse voices are reflected at every stage of decision-making.
While there is still some way to go, particularly in retrofitting communities, Rovia will continue playing our part in the development planning space by contributing to the creation of public realm and active travel routes that are safe, equitable and welcoming for women and girls to help unlock access, independence, and opportunity. And ultimately these changes will make travel safer and more welcoming for everyone!
