Mobility for all: Creating optimal community value through design

I recently spotted a Facebook post where a woman with limited vision recounted a recent experience where she narrowly avoided being struck by a car when attempting to cross at a roundabout with her beloved guide dog. Thankfully, she survived but the outcome could have been far worse.

This incident got me thinking about what critical considerations were missed by a team of designers and engineers that could have meant the difference between life and death. Do we fully understand the critical role we play in how people safely navigate our shared environment? 

As transport professionals, our decisions and ensuing infrastructure design have significant and meaningful implications on the lived experience of our growing population and our visitors, many with broad ranging accessibility needs. It is optimising community value through design that separates the good engineers from the truly exceptional. Are we up to the task?

Our ability to zoom out and widen our scope of design considerations is key to remaining relevant and achieving better outcomes for our communities. But designing for all is not that simple.

There are regulatory standards that guide our design process, like the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) that make it unlawful for public spaces to be inaccessible to those with a disability. However, these standards aren’t able to assist when different accessibility needs can work against each other. 

For example, in conversation with the team at Guide Dogs NSW I learned that where we might choose to remove kerb ramps for wheelchair users, we inadvertently impact the vision-impaired community whose guide dogs use kerbs as a hazard marker.

At GHD, we use an integrated response framework to maximise our resources and discover solutions for conflicting design requirements. We have also embedded the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into our work practices, further challenging our designs and projects. 

We need to consider what other tools we must arm ourselves with to continue evolving how we design and create public spaces. 

Now more than ever, we must step out of our silos and take on a wholistic approach to design. We are one cog in the wheel of bringing a project to life and when working with clients, we are more than just engineers. We are advisors and educators who must leverage our infrastructure expertise to strive for better business and community outcomes.

Where we identify elevated and cross-discipline benefits, we must take on an influencing role within our teams, industry bodies and communities to link all group objectives from start to finish. 

Taking a community lens to design must become business as usual. Striving to have a deep understanding of the community we are designing and the specific needs they may have for mobility is critical. 

Where our expertise isn’t sufficient, or we cannot develop a deep enough understanding of community mobility needs, there is ample opportunity to cross-collaborate with disability support organisations, such as Guide Dogs, to educate ourselves on the challenges that are beyond our scope of understanding in order to adequately advocate for safe community design.

The Centre for Population estimates Australian population growth of 4.2 million people over the next decade. When we layer in the fact that people with a disability make up 21% of the Australian population and 1.3 billion people globally, the urgency for inclusive design in transport and urban planning becomes even more clear. 

Without proactive planning, the risks of social exclusion, economic disadvantage and inequitable accessibility will only be exacerbated, deepening divides within our communities.

I recall a conference where Dr Lisa Stafford, then Senior Researcher Australian Research Council (ARC) Discovery Early Career Research Award (DECRA) Fellow at the University of Tasmania, discussed how taking a ‘planning-for-all’ approach that considers diverse bodies and minds truly benefits everyone. Such an approach upholds the rights of people with disabilities while fostering vibrant, accessible spaces that promote economic participation, social connection, and mobility for all. 

Inclusive transport isn’t just about compliance – it’s about creating cities that work for everyone, regardless of ability, age, or socioeconomic status.

By embedding universal design principles into every stage of urban and transport planning, we not only meet present needs but also future-proof our cities. An inclusive transport system ensures:

• Greater independence for people with disabilities, older adults and those with temporary mobility challenges.
• Stronger local economies by improving workforce participation and consumer access.
• Sustainable urban growth that prioritises public and active transport, reducing congestion and emissions.
• More cohesive communities where everyone can participate, contribute and thrive.

In the day-to-day engineering of mobility solutions for our cities, the focus must go beyond designing travel from Point A to Point B. If we want to make a meaningful difference and be truly accessible and inclusive of all, we must consider the broader lived experiences of the communities whose lives depend on our infrastructure. 

To bring awareness to the important role our designers play, GHD have partnered with Guide Dogs NSW/ACT to undertake training with our project partners in SustainJV for the ‘Easing Sydney’s Congestion’ program. 

Training will include a facilitated session with experts (including the four-legged kind) from Guide Dogs highlighting key accessibility barriers, real-world case studies, and practical solutions for creating environments that are safer, more inclusive and equitable for everyone – especially those who rely on guide dogs and/or long canes for mobility and confidence.

In addition to integrating practical training sessions for our design teams to better understand the end-user experience of our projects, we are taking on a role as community advocates. GHD recognise that in addition to embedding people-centred design principles into our work, education and leadership play a strong role in influencing better outcomes. We must also have the ability to shape governance through our client and industry relationships.

As we move towards a mobility future that critically revolves around walking, cycling and rolling, our road assets must do more to ensure they support optimal community value. Let’s lead the solution.