As we celebrate International Women’s Day 2024, the Local Council Roads Innovation Group (LCRIG) is proud to shine a spotlight on the theme of ‘Inspiring Inclusion’.
We caught up with our Researcher, Karla Shorrock, ahead of the publication of an upcoming report into Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), due to be published later this year.
The report, which has been commissioned by and created in collaboration with the Department for Transport and InnovateUK, promises to offer valuable insights into the current landscape of EDI.
Q: What were the key motivations and inspirations behind the creation of the EDI report?
A: The EDI report was inspired by a research investigation to identify the work relating to EDI that had already been done within the sector. Through online research and collaboration, we compiled a list of reports and articles that discussed EDI in a transportation context. These documents covered a broad range of transport topics and as well as a variety of different transport users, with the overarching message of ways we can make transport provisions and services more accessible and inclusive for all user groups.
From our investigation, we wanted to celebrate and showcase work that had already been done surrounding EDI, while highlighting some areas where information was a sparse and which lead to the EDI report. Within this report we want to assist companies and local authorities in embedding our findings in their day-to-day business operations and to demonstrate that EDI is a vital consideration for all aspects of transport-related policies and schemes.
Q:In what ways do you believe promoting EDI aligns with the goals and values of International Women’s Day?
A: EDI centres around celebrating diversity and promoting equality and inclusivity within the protected characteristics. I think these values are mirrored within International Women’s Day with the celebration of social, economic, and cultural achievements of women around the world. Moreover, both provide the space for discussing ways in which EDI can be improved, not just for women, but for other groups who may sometimes feel excluded or face inequalities towards them. Both EDI and International Women’s Day aim to reduce inequalities by tackling systemic barriers to equality.
Q: What was the most significant takeaway or finding that emerged during your research process for this report?
A: During our research we found many different statistics relating to the level of inequality and inaccessibility some transport user groups face in relation to transport provisions and services. These really asserted the importance of EDI, and the impact it has on different transport users commutes and inclusion into society.
We also found that intersectionality is key to furthering the sector’s engagement with EDI as this describes the independent relationship between different social categorisations. Intersectionality will assist in identifying where inequalities are felt most deeply and allow us to tackle these.
Q: How do you think we can create a supportive and inclusive environment for women in our sector?
A: A key area that came up for promoting EDI for women in relation to transport provisions was increased safety and more reliable services that match their transport behaviours. Women typically travel more on public transport with more stops on their journey (chained travel), however, with current services not accounting for this, women typically pay more and travel for longer, placing them at a transport disadvantage. Key areas I identified for promoting a more supportive and inclusive environment within the sector surrounded more inclusive progression pathways for women in the sector. This surrounded progression to managerial positions, and more generally in skills and development. These may also facilitate a greater uptake of female apprentices and make the sector more inclusive and diverse.
Q: Could you share with us who you consider to be the most inspirational woman in your life and why?
A: I think my mum would be the most inspirational woman in my life. She is so determined in everything that she does, both at work and at home, and isn’t afraid to speak her mind. She’s resilient in her work, it doesn’t matter what life throws at her she always seems to know how to sort it and doesn’t give up in any hardships. She’s also so supportive of everything I do- even when it means she’s driving me around the country- and is probably the most loyal person I know.
Image: Karla Shorrock