Healthy & Sustainable Transport Systems:A Social Justice Agenda

Photo of Betty by Kat Jungnickel

Rachel Aldred

rachelaldred.org

@RachelAldred

Healthy & Sustainable Transport Systems:A Social Justice Agenda

– What do we mean by healthy and sustainable transport systems?

– Social justice and transport

– Gender equity and cycling

– Conclusions

UK CO2 emissions, 2007

Source: ITF 2010, http://www.internationaltransportforum.org/Pub/pdf/10GHGTrends.pdf

In 1950, 2 million private cars were licensed in Britain - 1 for every 20 peopleBy 1970 it was nearly 10 million - 1 for every 5 peopleBy 2002 it was almost 25 million - almost for 1 for every 2 people

There is no technological fix, and even if there were…

Vicious circle of car-centred policy & development:- degraded environments, run down and unsafe alternatives, fear, exclusion, and a further flight to the ‘safety’ of the car- major impacts for chronic disease- proving very difficult to reverse in the UK at least

Social Justice and Transport

Why Do We Put Some People’s Speed Ahead of Other People’s Lives?

Car-dominated cities: able-bodied, affluent adults only?

Gender-Equitable Road Environments?

– [O]ne of my best friends, she’s just started cycling two weeks ago […] I’m trying to make her assertive. […] I’m not saying we all have to go around being aggressive […] but I think it’s more dangerous to be timid in the city. (M)

– [It’s] just having the sort of the guts to say, “Okay, I’m a user of the road and I’m not afraid of you. You can do all those things but I’m where I want to be. You’re threatening me so I’m going to be in the middle of the road because that’s where I feel safe”. (F)

(Source: Cycling Cultures Research Project, 2010-11)

Who Wants To Ride Here?

Source: adapted from TfL 2013, available athttps://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/143729/response/398827/attach/3/Final%20report%20CRC.pdf

Route preferences: London cyclists (male & female)

Final thoughts

– Transport currently causes, but could help solve, environmental / health / justice problems.

– Using an equity lens to identify inequalities & desired changes

– De-centring the car and making alternatives pleasant, easy, accessible, and inclusive