NSW Safer Cities Program: Participatory research, co-design and resources

NSW Government, Transport for NSW and various Sydney councils

The Safer Cities Program is a multi-year, $30 million initiative by Transport for NSW to make public spaces close to transport hubs across the state feel safer, more inclusive and accessible for women, girls and gender-diverse people.

CRED Consulting was engaged to design and deliver foundational research, engagement and co-design to inform the statewide program delivery.

Our work focused on understanding how safety is experienced, measured and designed into public places. This included a statewide survey of more than 5,000 participants, workshops with academics, practitioners and government agencies and co-design with young women and girls to inform and then evaluate place-based interventions in high profile Sydney locations – Moore Park and Parramatta Park.

Through this program, CRED collaborated with Transport for NSW, local and state government and diverse community groups to help create the evidence base and practical tools that are guiding safer, more equitable public spaces across NSW.

HOW WE DID IT​

CRED led a multi-channel research and engagement program combining large-scale data collection, literature reviews, qualitative insight and place-based co-design.

We delivered:

  • A high-profile statewide safety survey and report with nearly 5,500 participants (80% identified as female) capturing lived experiences about perceptions of safety across NSW.
  • Multi-disciplinary workshops with academics, planners, designers and government partners to shape the program’s priorities, measurement framework and supporting guides and toolkit.   
  • Workshops with local council Safer Cities partners and safety officers to identify shared challenges and opportunities and share local knowledge.
  • Development of a safety-focused addendum to Transport for NSW’s Public Space and Public Life Evaluation Tool assessing the features of public space that influence how safe people feel.
  • Compilation of the Safer Cities Case Studies Guide, showcasing global and local examples of gender-inclusive design, activation and technology solutions.
  • Development of Co-designing Public Space: A Guide for Local Government, a practical toolkit with principles, steps and printable worksheets to support councils undertaking co-design.
  • Lived-experience walkshops and co-design workshops with young women, including at Moore Park linked to the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, testing lighting and wayfinding improvements to increase comfort and safety and at Parramatta Park to inform and evaluate public domain design changes.
CRED Consulting, Co-design workshop with women and girls in the Cumberland LGA, Honeydieu Photography

Image credit: Honeydieu Photography

OUTCOMES

The Safer Cities Program has created a step-change in the state’s approach to gender-inclusive planning and informed how many local governments, design practitioners and state agencies plan, design and measure women’s safety in public places.

The Co-designing Public Space Guide and Safety Evaluation Tool Addendum have become core references for councils, planners and design professionals across NSW.

The pilot interventions at Moore Park and Parramatta Park resulted significant improvements in both locations, proving the impact of co-design and evidence-based action.

CRED’s research and tools are an integral component of the Safer Cities program and the success of the many interventions are testament to the power of elevating women’s lived experiences to inform design.

Building on this foundational research, CRED has delivered multiple Safer Cities projects through the Transport Access Program, including walkshops across Greater Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Central Coast and Wollongong, as well as numerous Safer Cities: Her Way projects with local government partners across NSW.

CRED Consulting, walkshop participants of women and girls in Fairfield LGA, Legacy Studios

Image credit: Legacy Studios

RELATED READING

Read more about CRED’s participatory research, engagement and co-design as part of the Safer Cities: Her Way program for Fairfield City Council, City of Canterbury Bankstown, Cumberland City Council, NSW

Read the Safer Cities Survey Report.

Read the Safer Cities Case Studies Guide including multiple projects which CRED led the engagement.

Read the Co-designing Public Space: A Guide for Local Government

Services
ENGAGEMENT
Strategy
RESEARCH
Awards

2023 Commendation

PIA NSW AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE – ENGAGEMENT AWARD