Irish public transport must be informed by female experience and research – Transport committee to hear from leading experts
Green Party TD Steven Matthews has invited the lead author of the ‘Travelling in a Woman’s Shoes’ report and three other female experts in transport and urban planning, to appear before the Oireachtas Transport Committee this week. They will discuss how the experience and requirements of women must inform the future of sustainable transport policy and design.
Deputy Matthews, who is a member of the Transport Committee stated;
“We have an unprecedented Transport budget and government commitment over this decade to invest and build our public transport network, our cycling and pedestrian infrastructure and create quality public spaces. However, out of fourteen members of the Oireachtas Transport Committee there is only one woman. Women use transport in a different way to men due to several factors, including personal safety, perception of danger but also caring responsibilities. It is therefore absolutely critical that we have female experts at the table, informing the future of public transport development. We need to learn from the mistakes of the past and get this right but we can’t do that from the perspective of men alone.
“The ‘Travelling in a Woman’s Shoes’ report shows us that women rank the car as the safest, most child-friendly and most reliable form of transport. Reports of incidents of harassment, violence and sexual assault contribute to a climate of fear with over half of women stating they would not use public transport at night. The research clearly indicates that when we are designing policies to reduce car use and encourage a transition to more sustainable modes of transport, we must be careful not to inadvertently disadvantage women.”
‘Travelling in a Woman’s Shoes’ tells real-life stories that demonstrate the characteristics of women’s mobility in Ireland. The stories shed light on the disparities and the realities that women face every day, introducing a multiplicity of perspectives and enriched data that applies a gender lens to travel behaviour.
Rachel Cahill, head of the chief executive office at Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) and lead author of the report, said;
“Transport is often seen as gender-neutral, providing benefit to all equally. However, a growing body of international research highlights that this is not the case. Women and men have different mobility realities. Women tend to have more complex patterns of mobility characterised by trip chaining and care giving responsibilities.
“I am delighted to attend this week’s Joint Oireachtas Transport Committee meeting to discuss TII’s ‘Travelling in a Woman’s Shoes’ report. The transition to sustainable travel modes will require extensive new infrastructure and efforts to change travel behaviours. TII’s vision is to provide sustainable transport infrastructure that is safe and resilient, delivering better accessibility and sustainable mobility for all.”
The Transport Committee will meet on Wednesday, March 9th and will include submissions from report author Rachel Cahill; Dr Sarah Rock and Dr Maria Chiara Leva from TU Dublin; and Vienna-based Urban Planner Eva Kail.
