Safe on the move: The importance of the built environment

Abstract

Fear and anxiety about personal security impede walking and the use of public transport, and the level of fear is different among different social groups. At the same time, transit crime is a rather persistent but underreported trend that intimidates transport users in many cities, particularly women. Such crime mostly takes place not in the enclosed and easily surveyed transport vehicles but in the more open environment of transit stops and platforms or in their close vicinity. But while some transit stops have very little incidence of crime, others in close proximity to them and along the same bus routes are highly affected by criminal incidents. This study draws from the literature as well as empirical studies to explain the relationship between fear and crime and the spatial characteristics of places. The chapter concludes by discussing design and policy responses as a useful approach to crime prevention in transportation settings.