Many debates have taken place over the years about what causes a city to be socially unequal. Economic causes, lack of public health services, lack of opportunities as a result of the city’s unrestrained suburbanization (Frenkel and Israel, 2018), lack of transportation access, local housing regulations, lack of educational opportunities, and so on.
How does transportation affect social segregation?
Transport has a crucial role in promoting social inclusion and overall well-being, which can have an impact on inequality in terms of economic and social consequences. (Gates et al., 2019). Lack of access to all services in the urban centre in economically deprived neighbourhoods is one factor contributing to transportation-related inequality. As a result of my observations of a few cities, I have noted that a transportation corridor (a railroad, a highway) separates communities within a city, thereby weakening social cohesiveness and fostering social disparities. For instance, in Sheffield as illustrated in the Figure 1, taken form the indices of deprivation (GOV.UK, 2019) the major road network, the Penistone road running from north to south of Sheffield acts as a line of segregation creating socially unequal districts. Similarly considering Newcastle as example shown in the figure 2, (GOV.UK, 2019), the main rail network, East coast main line running from west to north east of the city acts as a line of segregation. Looking at these cities of England, the problems of inequality becomes clearer. In order to eliminate the inequities, the boundaries of segregation that cause them should be carefully analysed.(Rae and Nyanzu, 2019).
Figure 1: Indices of deprivation in Sheffield, EnglandFigure 2: Indices of deprivation in Newcastle, England
How does lack of public facilities affect social segregation?
Due to the UK’s austerity measures, the civic elements of many cities have been depleted of their public services (Townshend, 2019). The regional capital of North East England, Newcastle, has seen particularly severe public sector layoffs. As a result, wealthy communities developed their public areas and services through alternative resources and private groups, leaving the poorest, least wealthy communities to fend for themselves without access to public services. Inequality was greatly exacerbated in Newcastle as a result. The paper authored by Townshend on Hidden shrinkage, burgeoning inequality and opportunistic urban design suggests that designers and planners should follow the term “Opportunistic Urban Design” (Townshend, 2019) by identifying spaces for intervention by engaging and collaboratively designing with the community and social groups when the opportunity arises.
A Solution Through Sustainable Urbanism
According to the book “Sustainable Urbanism: urban design with Nature” by Douglas Farr, sustainable urbanism primarily builds on the principles of smart design techniques, new urbanism, and green infrastructure (Farr, 2012a). In my opinion, the development of an urban area that promotes long-term wellness of the environment and the well-being of its inhabitants is referred to as “sustainable urbanism,” which incorporates all design and decision-making processes. As a result, I believe that essential sustainable design aspects such as mobility hubs (Royal Town Design Institute, 2021), walkable streets and networks (Farr, 2012b), a strategic design that minimises building energy consumption, and walkable public spaces might be leveraged to address social disparities in cities.
REFERENCES:
Frenkel, A., & Israel, E. (2018). Spatial inequality in the context of city-suburb cleavages–Enlarging the framework of well-being and social inequality. Landscape and Urban Planning, 177, 328–339. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2017.02.018
Gates, S., Gogescu, F., Grollman, C., & Cooper, E. (2019). Transport and inequality: An evidence review for the Department for Transport. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/953951/Transport_and_inequality_report_document.pdf
GOV.UK. (2019). Indices of Deprivation 2015 and 2019. OpenDataCommunities.org. http://dclgapps.communities.gov.uk/imd/iod_index.html#
Rae, A., & Nyanzu, E. (2019, February 15). These maps show how tricky it is to measure inequality in local areas across England. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/these-maps-show-how-tricky-it-is-to-measure-inequality-in-local-areas-across-england-109143
Townshend, T. (2019). Hidden shrinkage, burgeoning inequality and opportunistic urban design. Journal of Urban Design, 24(1), 75–77. https://doi.org/10.1080/13574809.2019.1553829S
Farr, D. (2012a). Sustainable Urbanism: Vol. Chapter 2- where we need to go. John Wiley & Sons.
Farr, D. (2012b). Sustainable Urbanism: Vol. chapter 4 – four case studies in Sustainable Urbanism. John Wiley & Sons.
Royal town planning institute. (2021, January). Net Zero Transport: the role of spatial planning and place-based solutions. Www.rtpi.org.uk. https://www.rtpi.org.uk/research/2020/june/net-zero-transport-the-role-of-spatial-planning-and-place-based-solutions/
2 responses to “Social inequalities and Urban design”
Thank you for your informative blog post on the relationship between transport, a lack of public facilities, and urban social division. Your analysis emphasises the significance of these elements in contributing to inequality, as well as the need for long-term urban initiatives.
Transportation does play a part in social segregation, as a lack of access to transportation services can limit prospects for people living in economically disadvantaged neighbourhoods. Transportation corridors, such as motorways and rail lines, can operate as physical barriers, isolating towns and exacerbating social inequities. Your examples from Sheffield and Newcastle show how these transport networks can generate segregation inside cities, prolonging inequality.
Furthermore, as austerity measures have decreased public services in many cities, a lack of public facilities exacerbates socioeconomic segregation. This condition has disproportionately impacted the poorest populations, depriving them of crucial resources and opportunities. Your reference to “Opportunistic Urban Design” emphasises the need of engaging and partnering with communities and social groupings in order to solve these discrepancies. It is possible to build more inclusive and equitable urban landscapes by identifying intervention sites and incorporating affected populations in the planning process.
In this setting, sustainable urbanism emerges as a solution that supports both the environment’s and the residents’ long-term well-being. Your recommended solutions, such as mobility hubs, walkable streets and networks, and strategic planning for lower energy use, are consistent with sustainable urban design concepts. Cities can improve accessibility, increase social inclusion, and offset the negative effects of transportation-related inequalities and a lack of public facilities by integrating these elements.
Overall, your blog article effectively emphasises the interconnection of transportation, the lack of public facilities, and urban social division. We can create more fair and inclusive urban settings for all citizens by embracing sustainable urbanism and engaging in collaborative design processes.
I think you have raised a vitally important issue in today’s world. Social inequalities in our cities are creating disparities in housing, education, health, economy, and safety, and eroding social cohesion and civic engagement as well. And I think in a solution to this problem we need a comprehensive approach that includes policies and involvement of housing association, city council and the state to reduce discrimination and enhance community engagement for equitable and thriving cities.
I remember one example that I was reading last month related to mixed-income and mixed-ethnicity housing in Singapore. The Housing Development board and government agency in Singapore built almost 1 million public housing in the last 50 years which is almost 73 percent of the total housing stock in 2017. Can you imagine more than 80 percent of the resident population lives in houses bought from the housing development board. In Singapore, there are three main ethnic groups: Malay (15 percent), Indian (seven percent) and Chinese (76 percent). Social inclusion of all ethnic groups and overcoming racial segregation were the main concerns of the government and are the main pillars of their policies today. They introduced Ethnic integration policy (EIP) to mix different ethnic groups in one housing society. I think mixed-income and mixed-ethnicity housing in Singapore is one of the reasons for Singapore’s subsequent economic success.
Thank you for your informative blog post on the relationship between transport, a lack of public facilities, and urban social division. Your analysis emphasises the significance of these elements in contributing to inequality, as well as the need for long-term urban initiatives.
Transportation does play a part in social segregation, as a lack of access to transportation services can limit prospects for people living in economically disadvantaged neighbourhoods. Transportation corridors, such as motorways and rail lines, can operate as physical barriers, isolating towns and exacerbating social inequities. Your examples from Sheffield and Newcastle show how these transport networks can generate segregation inside cities, prolonging inequality.
Furthermore, as austerity measures have decreased public services in many cities, a lack of public facilities exacerbates socioeconomic segregation. This condition has disproportionately impacted the poorest populations, depriving them of crucial resources and opportunities. Your reference to “Opportunistic Urban Design” emphasises the need of engaging and partnering with communities and social groupings in order to solve these discrepancies. It is possible to build more inclusive and equitable urban landscapes by identifying intervention sites and incorporating affected populations in the planning process.
In this setting, sustainable urbanism emerges as a solution that supports both the environment’s and the residents’ long-term well-being. Your recommended solutions, such as mobility hubs, walkable streets and networks, and strategic planning for lower energy use, are consistent with sustainable urban design concepts. Cities can improve accessibility, increase social inclusion, and offset the negative effects of transportation-related inequalities and a lack of public facilities by integrating these elements.
Overall, your blog article effectively emphasises the interconnection of transportation, the lack of public facilities, and urban social division. We can create more fair and inclusive urban settings for all citizens by embracing sustainable urbanism and engaging in collaborative design processes.
I think you have raised a vitally important issue in today’s world. Social inequalities in our cities are creating disparities in housing, education, health, economy, and safety, and eroding social cohesion and civic engagement as well. And I think in a solution to this problem we need a comprehensive approach that includes policies and involvement of housing association, city council and the state to reduce discrimination and enhance community engagement for equitable and thriving cities.
I remember one example that I was reading last month related to mixed-income and mixed-ethnicity housing in Singapore. The Housing Development board and government agency in Singapore built almost 1 million public housing in the last 50 years which is almost 73 percent of the total housing stock in 2017. Can you imagine more than 80 percent of the resident population lives in houses bought from the housing development board. In Singapore, there are three main ethnic groups: Malay (15 percent), Indian (seven percent) and Chinese (76 percent). Social inclusion of all ethnic groups and overcoming racial segregation were the main concerns of the government and are the main pillars of their policies today. They introduced Ethnic integration policy (EIP) to mix different ethnic groups in one housing society. I think mixed-income and mixed-ethnicity housing in Singapore is one of the reasons for Singapore’s subsequent economic success.
Thank you for your informative blog post on the relationship between transport, a lack of public facilities, and urban social division. Your analysis emphasises the significance of these elements in contributing to inequality, as well as the need for long-term urban initiatives.
Transportation does play a part in social segregation, as a lack of access to transportation services can limit prospects for people living in economically disadvantaged neighbourhoods. Transportation corridors, such as motorways and rail lines, can operate as physical barriers, isolating towns and exacerbating social inequities. Your examples from Sheffield and Newcastle show how these transport networks can generate segregation inside cities, prolonging inequality.
Furthermore, as austerity measures have decreased public services in many cities, a lack of public facilities exacerbates socioeconomic segregation. This condition has disproportionately impacted the poorest populations, depriving them of crucial resources and opportunities. Your reference to “Opportunistic Urban Design” emphasises the need of engaging and partnering with communities and social groupings in order to solve these discrepancies. It is possible to build more inclusive and equitable urban landscapes by identifying intervention sites and incorporating affected populations in the planning process.
In this setting, sustainable urbanism emerges as a solution that supports both the environment’s and the residents’ long-term well-being. Your recommended solutions, such as mobility hubs, walkable streets and networks, and strategic planning for lower energy use, are consistent with sustainable urban design concepts. Cities can improve accessibility, increase social inclusion, and offset the negative effects of transportation-related inequalities and a lack of public facilities by integrating these elements.
Overall, your blog article effectively emphasises the interconnection of transportation, the lack of public facilities, and urban social division. We can create more fair and inclusive urban settings for all citizens by embracing sustainable urbanism and engaging in collaborative design processes.
I think you have raised a vitally important issue in today’s world. Social inequalities in our cities are creating disparities in housing, education, health, economy, and safety, and eroding social cohesion and civic engagement as well. And I think in a solution to this problem we need a comprehensive approach that includes policies and involvement of housing association, city council and the state to reduce discrimination and enhance community engagement for equitable and thriving cities.
I remember one example that I was reading last month related to mixed-income and mixed-ethnicity housing in Singapore. The Housing Development board and government agency in Singapore built almost 1 million public housing in the last 50 years which is almost 73 percent of the total housing stock in 2017. Can you imagine more than 80 percent of the resident population lives in houses bought from the housing development board. In Singapore, there are three main ethnic groups: Malay (15 percent), Indian (seven percent) and Chinese (76 percent). Social inclusion of all ethnic groups and overcoming racial segregation were the main concerns of the government and are the main pillars of their policies today. They introduced Ethnic integration policy (EIP) to mix different ethnic groups in one housing society. I think mixed-income and mixed-ethnicity housing in Singapore is one of the reasons for Singapore’s subsequent economic success.
Reference-
Key Points. (n.d.). Available at: https://www.cigionline.org/static/documents/documents/PB%20no.128web.pdf [Accessed 23 May 2023].