In a new blogpost on DG MOVE’s Diversity in transport page, Kathleen explores how transport systems are too often designed with an unconscious bias that leaves women, caregivers, older persons and persons with disabilities underserved.
Kathleen also shares a fascinating real-world example: the Luas Finglas extension in Dublin, where Transport Infrastructure Ireland piloted a Gender Lens Checklist Tool across all project phases. For the first time, qualitative data was collected alongside technical data, including insights from dog walkers, which emerged as an unexpected gender indicator.
Key takeaways from the piece:
✅ Women’s travel patterns differ significantly from men’s: think multi-stop, care-related ‘trip-chaining’ that cars often serve better than public transport.
✅ Safety isn’t just about crime stats: even one negative experience can permanently reshape women’s mobility choices.
✅ Design needs to ask not just ‘Who’s here?’ but ‘Who isn’t here, and why?’
🔗 Read the full blog here: https://transport.ec.europa.eu/news-events/news/why-gender-lens-matters-better-transport-insights-luas-finglas-2026-05-20_en