A STUDY commissioned by the Ministry of Public Infrastructure (MPI) on the future of urban transportation has found that women are amongst the most negatively affected users of public transportation.
Based on that finding, the Guyana Chronicle has learnt, the MPI’s Central Transport and Planning Unit (CTPU) on March 9 hosted a group discussion on women and their use of public transportation.

That group meeting, which was facilitated by a Brazilian and a Colombian firm, featured 10 Guyanese women from different walks of life, who spent approximately three hours sharing their perspectives on public transportation, their concerns about it, and suggestions for areas of improvement.

It was during that meeting that it was revealed that among issues women have with public transportation is their constantly being subjected to sexual harassment, and the prevalent use of abusive language and playing of lewd music in their presence.
They also voiced their concern about the reckless way some male drivers use the roadways; the lack of regulations for minibus operations; the lack of a designated space for pedestrians and cyclists; and the absence of street lighting, particularly where they’re most needed.

According to the preliminary findings of the MPI study, which was done by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), deficient road maintenance and lack of toilets along the main roads are among important issues in relation to infrastructure and amenities.

FUTURE MEETINGS
The MPI has since noted that the perspectives from the March 9 meeting and future focus-group discussions, along with interviews conducted with female transport users, will assist in the design of a transport system for Georgetown that incorporates gender-specific needs.
The IDB has noted in its preliminary report that in the Caribbean and Latin America, women make up more than 50 per cent of the users of public transportation.

“Transport has been seen as ‘gender-neutral’ for many years, with the assumption that its benefits are the same for everybody,” the agency has said, adding:
“However, even though women account for the majority of the systems ridership, most of Latin American and Caribbean transport systems are designed, without taking explicitly the needs of women and the differences of users into account.”

Bearing the foregoing in mind, no doubt, the MPI says that the survey, which has been simply but aptly titled a Sustainable Urban Transport Study (SUTS), is based on four sets of major action points.
For Georgetown, actions could include: Developing plans for minibus terminals, including the identification of preferred locations; recommending and specifying the facilities to be incorporated at bus terminals; and outlining how the terminals are to be operated; determining locations for minibus stops; preparing a geo-referenced map of minibus stops; and a cost implementation plan to include signage and markings.

The development of a comprehensive parking management plan for central Georgetown is also on the cards.
According to the MPI, “This project component will require the development of a Parking Policy and Management Plan for central Georgetown; the Plan will include zoning, charges, regulation, inter alia.”

The project will also involve the review of existing road traffic and road safety improvement projects recommended in recent transport studies. Any additional improvements deemed necessary in reducing traffic congestion, improving road safety and optimising road network capacity will be assessed.

SUTS for Georgetown is expected “to develop a specific diagnostic of the urban transport situation, problems and trends, and provide recommendations on matters of public transport infrastructure, operations, financing and institutional organisation. The study will support the design of a public transport system, to provide users with a safe, efficient, clean, and affordable service,” the MPI said.