Personal security audits
Personal security is a growing issue in many large and medium sized towns and cities, even in places like Sweden with low crime levels. To pinpoint the problem The City of Stockholm has commissioned TUB to carry out a number of personal security audits of new development areas, including the prestigious Stockholm Royal Seaport area.
The Royal Seaport development
The Royal Seaport development is one of three urban development areas in Stockholm with a strong environmental profile. For the work TUB adapted the Pedsafe personal security audit methodology for new developments. This made it feasible to assess how suggested designs of streetscapes would be perceived in terms of personal security. Links and places likely to affect people’s travel choices negatively when dark were identified.
In a number of cases streets and nearby land use zoning were redesigned. The aim of the new designs was amongst other things to increase people’s willingness to walk and by this reduce short car trips that add to pollution levels, and to increase pedestrian ambience. This is in turn anticipated to increase property values.