WOMEN'S safety should be factored in to the construction of new buildings and street architecture from the outset, an MP has said.
Christine Jardine, LibDem MP for Edinburgh West, is to bring forward a bill in the Commons tomorrow which would make it a legal requirement for women’s safety to be published as a condition of planning approval for major developments.
She suggested there should be consideration of how women experience spaces, which she said are very different from how men experience them, as part of planning applications.
The amount of street lighting, the position of public transport hubs such as bus stops and train stations, and how they interact with the surrounding area should be considered, she suggested.
The Planning (Women’s Safety) Bill is part of several Private Members' Bills introduced by female Liberal Democrat MPs on International Women’s Day.
Ms Jardine believes “for far too long” women’s safety has been excluded from the process stating the Bill would “future proof” building development.
She said: “We need to go back to basics and take the necessary steps to protect women. For far too long women have been excluded from the process.
“This Bill would provide women with the foundations they need to have more agency and feel less vulnerable in their daily lives.
“Urban planning must take into consideration the issue of women’s safety. Such issues as well-lit and open areas are paramount to designing spaces without a gender bias.
“This is all about enabling women to plan and go about their lives with safety and security. Women should be confident in knowing that their concerns have been considered so that they feel safer in living their lives.
“I hope the Government will support this Bill and support this campaign to future proof women’s safety.”
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