The post-war model of suburbia, predicated on the separation of work and home and the affordability of the motor car, is currently being questioned and revised in the search for more sustainable and equitable urban forms. However, women are owning and driving cars in increasing numbers, as its convenience suits their busy lifestyles, and in particular, the multiple, linked trips which they undertake. This paper will explore how a focus on accessibility, rather than mobility, and renewed emphasis on the integration of transport, land use and urban design, has the potential to provide women with transport choice. It will discuss the main characteristics of women's travel behaviour, the key principles of accessible development and argue the need for a focus on "transport choice" - access to a wide range of travel modes - in land use planning, urban design and traffic engineering practice. While improved planning and engineering alone will not provide a cure for car dependence, they form part of a broader policy package which can moderate car dependence and improve accessibility by walking, cycling and public transport. (A)
Abstract