Urban space distribution: The case for a more equitable mobility system

Abstract

Cities everywhere are struggling to establish more sustainable transport systems to reduce accidents, congestion, pollution and improve overall urban environments for human well-being. Due to increased mobility, particularly with private motorized vehicles, there is pressure and conflicts over space allocation in limited city roads and open spaces. There is also evidence that different transport modes are favoured over others in the allocation of and access to space. In urban planning, there are increasing efforts to allocate more space to the car, promoting rapid urbanisation at the expense of the space for more sustainable modes of transport. This process is leading to negative externalities, making the road environment unsafe for those outside the car. This space distribution is also dynamic and responsive to political agendas that change over time and geography. This research provides a comparative of urban space allocation in three cities, distinguishing between motorized (private and public transport) spaces and spaces allocated to non-motorized modes (walking and cycling). The research builds on analysis across different geographies of development taking examples from Europe, South America and Africa as case studies. We approach the cities of Bogotá (Colombia), Valletta (Malta) and Freetown (Sierra Leone) as examples of high density urban areas from both the global south and global north. The methodology entails the use of high-resolution satellite images and the application of geographic information systems to derive the necessary measurements in each city. Results show how space is unevenly distributed in many parts of the case study cities in the context of their own social, economic and political contexts, reflecting on the distribution of space in relation to other inequalities that might manifest in the urban space. Such inequalities lead to inequities in the transport system and the availability and use of open and public space. The study hopes to raise awareness of the equity issues surrounding urban transport systems, and the need for more sustainable urban designs for public and open spaces, identify commonalities and structural drivers of spatial inequalities, as well as context-specific determinants of urban space distribution.