Client: Offaly County Council
DBFL was commissioned by Offaly County Council (OCC) to prepare the Tullamore Local Transport Plan (LTP) which will provide a long-term strategic planning framework for developing transport infrastructure and services in Tullamore and inform the preparation of the URDF project, Tullamore Regeneration Framework.
The Local Transport Plan (LTP) is being developed in alignment with the NTA and TII’s Area Based Transport Assessment (ABTA) guidance. This process involves five key stages.
Firstly, a Baseline Assessment & Policy Review was conducted to evaluate existing conditions and review relevant policies. Next, DBFL establish context by defining the local context and identifying transport challenges. Following this, DBFL engaged in Options Development & Assessment, where potential transport solutions are created and evaluated. The subsequent stage, Refinement & Sense-Check, involves refining these solutions and validating them against the established objectives and context. Finally, the Preparation of the Local Transport Plan entails drafting and finalizing the plan based on the assessments and feedback obtained throughout the process.
The Tullamore Local Transport Plan is intended to underpin the sustainable development of Tullamore as a compact, liveable, safe, and vibrant place in which to live, visit, work, and invest by prioritising sustainable mobility, and enabling a reallocation of public space which better balances the needs of all modes and reduces the dominance of the private car in line with the Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets, National Planning Framework 2040, National Sustainable Mobility Policy, National Investment Framework for Transport Infrastructure, the Climate Action Plan 2023, and Town Centre First.
DBFL developed a Gender Based Safety Audit tool in order to capture the existing conditions of a specified route or space in relation to its safety and perception of safety for women and girls as well as people of diverse sexualities / genders, women of colour and women living with a disability. The Gender Based Safety Audit acknowledges that people experience public spaces differently based on their gender, sex, and sexuality as well as considering the overlapping identities of age / race / culture / religion as intersectionality increases vulnerability and discrimination.
Women and girl’s perception of safety, as opposed to their risk of experiencing gender-based violence or crime, determines how they interact and use public spaces. The application of gender sensitive design approaches and involving women’s perspectives can lead to more inclusive, equitable and sustainable urban environments.
By applying this gendered lens, the Audit process enabled the identification of gender-sensitive recommendations for Tullamore to be embedded into the Local Transport Plan.
The Audit parametres included: lighting, signage, visibility, possible assault or entrapment sites, facilities, and maintenace. DBFL led two audits in Tullamore; one during the day, and one at night. The findings of these informed the recommendations of the Draft LTP, including the need for a Wayfinding Strategy, improved lighting in areas such as the Town Park and Grand Canal Way, improved permeability and removal of barriers to movement, and creating equitable access to the Town Park. The Audit also highlighted the importance of collaborating with local teenage a girls and young women regarding gender-related safety needs, interests and preferences.
Project Director
