Between planning and perception: A mixed-methods analysis of gender perspectives in public transport in Gothenburg

Abstract

By using a mixed-methods approach including a self-completing questionnaire and semi-structured expert interviews, this study provides insights into gendered travel patterns of participants in Gothenburg with a focus on the use of public transport, as well as into the implementation of gender perspectives in the planning of public transport. The investigation focusses on how men and women use public transport in this specific case study and shows relationships between participants’ gender identity and their use of transportation. The results from the 138 survey responses indicate gendered patterns in the preferred means of transport, the availability of financial and physical resources as well as safety issues. The findings from the 7 interviewees created the picture of a shared understanding in the importance of enhancing gender-equality in the public transport sector, as well as how gendered travel patterns are visible. Hence, some challenges and barriers in a successful implementation persist, which mainly address institutional or structural aspects, such as a lack of common guidelines or complex planning processes. This indicates that the main challenges in integrating gender perspectives into public transport planning create a link to questions in terms of gender equality as a general societal topic.