Making Gender Inclusive Spaces Around Rea Vaya Transit Areas: The Case of Commissioner Street.
Date
2015-11
Authors
Conco, Zola
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
Abstract
The planning profession has been regarded as a mechanical, value free activity and
mainly dominated by male perceptions. Planning policy has begun to consider more
social issues, however, even with this transition, gender issues in the urban environment have been a particular challenge and have not been completely understood by planners.
As a result gender issues have often not been considered in the physical design of the
urban environments. The travel patterns of women and men have generally been understood to differ due to the different roles played by women and men in our societies. However, women’s vulnerability may also shape their travel patterns within the city.
While numerous studies have presented findings about the strong relationship between
women and their fears within the built environment, particularly in public spaces, little
attention has been given to the relationship between women’s fear and transit
environments in South African cities. This is an important relationship to be considered,
as the degree to which this affects women will determine the extent to which they are
able to participate equally in the city.
A number of development plans have been introduced into the city of Johannesburg, as a method of improving the lives of its citizens. One of these has been the introduction of
the Rea Vaya Bus Rapid Transit system (BRT). However, it appears that little
consideration has been paid to the environments around that BRT stations, primarily
with concerns of gender sensitivities. Therefore, this study investigates whether the
physical design of the built environment around the BRT stations has considered the
effects of gender sensitivities on women’s travel patterns. The research assess whether
the built environment around the bus stations have helped to reduce the spatial barriers
faced by women in the city, namely their vulnerability and facilitate their right to the
city.
A case study was done around the Rea Vaya station on Commissioner Street and the
adjacent urban spaces. Women of various ages were interviewed in an open-ended manner to gather in-depth information about women’s personal experiences and
concerns for safety in the city centre. The case study also included a safety audit of the
site, which was conducted by the researcher.
High levels of actual and perceived safety amongst women were found, especially for
walking in the area and using the BRT at night. As a result, women who were using the
site were found to have distinct needs in ensuring their safety and comfort while using
the space. A mismatch was found in the responses of women’s expressed needs and the variety of common safety strategies implemented by the City of Johannesburg (CoJ).
The conclusion argues that women’s safety is an essential but neglected issue, which
deserves the attention of urban planners. Drawing on responses from the case study and interviews, the research offers a set of recommendations that planning policy that
focuses on the initiatives and responses that can be used to improve on women’s
experience of the site.
Description
Planning Honours report 2015, Wits University
Keywords
women, gendered spaces, Rea Vaya, public space, transit, spatial barriers
Citation
Conco, Z (2015). Making Gender Inclusive Spaces Around Rea Vaya Transit Areas: The Case of Commissioner Street, Johannesburg