Alstom Foundation to support ‘Every Step of the Way’ project in Ireland

The Alstom Corporate Foundation has announced its selection of 29 projects for the 2020 cycle, including the first-ever project in Ireland, to make walking in Dublin safer and more inclusive. With a total of 167 projects having been submitted, Alstom employees have once again demonstrated their enthusiasm for philanthropy and for supporting local communities.

Alstom is well known in Dublin as the manufacturer of the Citadis trams for Luas as well as railway systems across Ireland.

The Foundation has chosen to support the ‘Every Step of the Way’ project, aimed at helping more women choose to walk more often in Dublin. Over the last 30 years, women in Dublin, where they can afford it, have chosen to walk less and use cars instead, even for short distance trips.

Cars are perceived to be a safer, easier and more comfortable mobility choice than walking or walking to access public transport. The impact is leading to poorer physical and mental health, an increase in road traffic incidents, a wider gap in inequality, and an inefficient transport network that suffers from congestion and is a major cause of air pollution.

One of the main challenges to tackle is understanding women’s mobility. Global research, which includes data from Dublin, shows that women more than men tend to prefer walking as it allows trip chaining and travel with children and other dependents.

Indeed, walking is the most popular method of travel in the Greater Dublin Area, yet overall satisfaction with walking conditions is only 65% with concerns that it is unsafe, inconvenient and uncomfortable.

‘Every Step of the Way’ will be an exciting partnership between Walk 21, Dublin Technological University, the Irish Pedestrian Network and Dublin City Council where the Alstom Foundation funding will help develop a new phone application, in consultation with women in Dublin.

The application will aim to make sure the environment where women walk is as supportive & encouraging of their needs as possible while also mapping any deficiencies.

Welcoming the project, Neasa Hourigan, Teachta Dála for the Dublin Central constituency said:

“I am delighted that this project is going ahead to help all the thousands of women walking in Ireland. Helping women to share their concerns about the walkability of Dublin comes at a critical moment for Ireland.

Walking is key to the health and wellbeing of everyone and ensuring everyone has a safe, accessible and welcoming place so that they can choose to walk first for their everyday trips is vital.

Our Programme for Government allocates of 10% of the total transport capital budget for pedestrian infrastructure and this project, supported by Alstom Foundation and in partnership with Irish Pedestrians Network, TU Dublin and Walk21, now promises to provide a valuable insight into where and how that money is best spent so that the whole community benefits.”

Nick Crossfield, Managing Director, Alstom Ireland and UK said:

“We want to help more women choose to walk more often in Dublin by making sure the environment where they walk is as supportive and encouraging of their needs as possible.

Improving walkability for women and other vulnerable groups in Dublin can lead to a healthier, happier and more economically productive city where people have a genuine choice about how they get around, maximising the access to public transport options including Alstom’s Citadis trams on the Luas network.

The benefits for users of the project area will last as long as the engineering solutions are in place.”

The project will consist of five key phases:

1. Create a tool that lets citizens map the walkability of their neighbourhoods on a smart phone

2. Invite women to share their perceptions of walkability in the city

3. Create a Walkability Map of Dublin to identify areas of concern where walkability needs to be enhanced

4. Engaging with the wider Stakeholder community to inspire changes in infrastructure in response to the data.

5. Measure any change in the perceptions by women on Dublin’s safety, inclusion and sense of welcome because of the investment and evaluate the impact on women’s transport choices.

Alstom, Walk21 and TU Dublin are excited by the possibility of working within the Transport sector to deploy the Walkability App to make Dublin a safer, more inclusive and welcoming place for women to walk.