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General Overview

Type of stakeholder

EICS Framework

Region of Reference

Africa
Asia
Australia
Europe
North-America
South-America
World

Description

This intervention refers to the implication of clear sightlines at underpasses and subways. Sightlines need to be carefully designed in transit environments, with emphasis on the following characteristics:

using ‘open’ fences rather than solid walls where possible, to enhance the potential for formal and informal surveillance [2,3]

landscape design that does not provide places for people to hide, for example by using slow-growing shrubs that cannot grow too large, and prickly shrubs that minimise opportunities for concealment [2,3]
creating clear sightlines by blocking off recesses, use of convex mirrors or wide pillars at corners, and use of clear glazing [2,3]

Facts/Illustrations/Case studies

Image: Google Streetview image of a subway in Birmingham that has been closed as a consequence of a sexual assault in the underpass in 2020. [8]

Types of Impact

To/from the stop/station/rank✓
Waiting for train/bus/paratransit✕
In the vehicle✕
At interchanges✓

This intervention would primarily impact the commuters travelling to and from public transport stations/interchanges. Sustainable planning and designs would need to be incorporated into public transport stations and hub design. [1-3,6-8]

Day-time travel✓
Night-time travel✓
Peak-time travel✓
Off peak-time travel✓

All travel time categories could be positively impacted by this intervention.

Bus✓
Train✓
Rideshare✓
4 wheelers informal✓
3 wheelers informal✓
2 wheelers informal✓
Cycling✓
Walking✓

All modes can be impacted by this intervention.

Girls✓
Boys✓
Adult Women✓
Men✓
Elderly Women✓
LGBTQI+✓

All public transport users will be positively impacted by this intervention.

Resources

Monetary Resource Requirements
The monetary resources required for the full intervention can be vast, due to the capital expenditures required to implement new infrastructures. The associated operational costs for the full implementation are low to moderate, as they include the maintenance and service costs for the holistic operation of the infrastructure. Incorporating these principles in the design and initial building phase greatly reduces the capital expenditure of the implementation.
Capital Cost Requirements Operational Cost Requirements
Non-Monetary Resource Requirements
The full implementation of the intervention requires a moderate level of skill, takes considerable time, and needs a low level of political will to implement. Whether full scale or targeted, implementation timeframes are long as is the nature of infrastructure projects.
Skills Time Political Will

SWOT Analysis

Perceived to be effective
Long term benefits once installed

Takes significant time and cost to be implemented

Crime reduction
Improves safety
Greater incentive to use non-motorised transport and public transport

Poor upkeep can negate benefits

Effectiveness

Numerous literature sources indicate this to be an effective measure in improving public safety, with the effectiveness of the measure considered high regarding personal security, in this and other fields. Both female passengers and governing bodies rate the effectiveness of this intervention as high. [1-3,6-8]

Perception by (female) passengers
Perception by governing bodies
Level of confidence in these ratings

Implementation

Implementation of the intervention is a time-intensive process, with its benefits only being fully realised upon its full implementation. The benefits are long-term, yet will require constant maintenance and upkeep for full functionality.

Implementation timeframe

0-1 year✓
1-3 years✓
>3 years✓

Timeframe to realise benefits

0-1 year✓
1-3 years✓
>3 years✓

Scale of Implementation

This intervention can be implemented at a local or city level.

National

Regional

City

Station or
Suburb

Ease of Implementation

This intervention is moderately easy to implement, as it requires a significant level of skilled services for the planning, design, construction and maintenance and demands high capital and time resource levels.

List of References

Asia

1. Banerji Assistant Professor, H., Ekka, A. A., Jeffery, R., Oscar Newman, A., Jacobs, J., & Angel, S. (2016). Designing Safer Cities-Review of Environmental Crime Prevention Strategies. GSTF Journal of Engineering Technology (JET), 3(4).

Australia

2. Diec, J., Coxon, S., de Bono, A., Diec1, J., Coxon2, S., & de Bono2, A. (n.d.). Designing a public train station shelter to minimise anti-social behaviour and crime in Melbourne’ s metropolitan rail environment Designing a public train station shelter to minimise anti-social behaviour and crime in Melbourne’s metropolitan rail environment.

Europe

3. Stafford, J. (2003). Safer travel by design: reducing crime on public transport Briefing.

4. van Harten, H. (n.d.). Environmental design and the perception of safety.

5. Cardwell, M, 2022. Sexual assault victim shuts down Birmingham underpass after attack, BirminghamLive, UK.

North America

6. Vogel, M., & Pettinari, J. L. (n.d.). PERSONAL SAFETY AND TRANSIT: PATHS, ENVIRONMENTS, STOPS, AND STATIONS.

7. Brown, R. (2013). Getting Safety on Track Expanding Edmonton’s LRT Design Guidelines to Improve Women’s Perceptions of Safety at Transit Stations.

8. Majd, C. S. (2013). NEXT STOP, SECURITY: UNDERSTANDING WHAT MAKES WOMEN FEEL SAFE IN PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION STATIONS.

SHE CAN Tool