Moving on the Role of Transport in the Everyday Mobilities of Children and Young People in Urban Australia
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Moving on The role of transport in the everyday mobilities of children and young people in urban Australia Anne Maria Hurni A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctorate of Philosophy December 2015 Statement of Authentication The work presented in this thesis, to the best of my knowledge and belief, is original except as acknowledged in the text. I hereby declare that I have not submitted this material, either in part or in full, for a degree at this or another institution. _____________________________ Signature Date _______________ ii Abstract This grounded study explores the role of transport, broadly conceived, in shaping and differentiating the everyday mobilities of children and young people in contemporary urban Australia. Drawing on approaches from across urban, transport and children and young people’s geographies, and the sociology of mobilities, the research investigated the everyday travel of 82 children, aged 9 to 12 years, and 176 young people, aged 13 to 15 years, living in Blacktown, Western Sydney who described their use of transport to a range of educational, social, cultural and recreational activities. Blacktown epitomises many aspects of urban Australia. Blacktown is a local government area with a large, rapidly growing, comparatively youthful, culturally and socially diverse population of more than 300,000 people. It has a variety of urban forms and is serviced by a mix of public transport, local buses and rapid bus transit ways, and the metropolitan road and rail networks. The research was conducted in government schools (five secondary and three primary schools) located in five different neighbourhoods. The neighbourhoods were distinguished by their location in relation to the Blacktown city centre, urban form and socio-economic characteristics. The research adopted a child-focussed methodology and a mixed method design. A variety of quantitative and qualitative data was derived from classroom discussions, local area walking tours with photography, video recordings, individual drawings, maps, travel and activity diaries and interviews. From the materials produced this thesis illustrates how children and young people are negotiating their everyday mobilities afforded by the available transport network as well as by the dynamics of their own households. It argues that children’s and young people’s ‘everyday mobilities’ are irreducibly situated within the context of their households and urban spaces, which must be better understood and adequately addressed in policy and planning to achieve a more age-responsive, socially- inclusive urban transport policy and planning. iii Acknowledgement of Country I wish to acknowledge that this research was conducted on the traditional lands of the Dharug peoples and pay my respect to their elders past, present and future. Acknowledgements I am indebted to everyone who assisted me to undertake and complete this thesis and especially to all the children and young people, teachers and parents who participated in the research. My sincere thanks go to my primary supervisor, Professor Kay Anderson for her careful and consistent guidance throughout the course of the candidacy, and to Professor Tony Capon for his assistance in the early stages and to Professor Greg Noble for his assistance in the later stages of the research and thesis writing. Thanks also to the Institute of Culture and Society, Western Sydney University and the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute for the financial and institutional support that enabled me to undertake the research. I am especially grateful to my family and friends who have had to put up with me the whole time. Thanks in particular to Dr Bernadette Pinnell, my ‘travelling companion’ on this long PhD journey. Most of all, I am indebted to my children and my partner for their endless love and support, which continues to carry me through every day. iv Table of Contents Statement of Authentication ............................................................................. ii Abstract .............................................................................................................. iii Acknowledgement of Country ........................................................................ iv Acknowledgements ........................................................................................... iv Table of Contents ............................................................................................... v List of Tables ................................................................................................... viii List of Figures ................................................................................................... ix Abbreviations and acronyms ........................................................................ xiv PRELUDE ........................................................................................................ 15 Chapter 1 .......................................................................................................... 20 Setting out ......................................................................................................... 20 Why study the urban mobilities of children and young people? ............... 23 Considering the role of transport ................................................................ 26 Aim of the research ..................................................................................... 30 A child/youth focussed methodology ......................................................... 33 Adapting participatory methods .................................................................. 33 Extending the pathways of inquiry ............................................................. 37 Situated mobilities ....................................................................................... 38 Structure of this thesis ................................................................................. 38 Moving on .................................................................................................... 40 Chapter 2 .......................................................................................................... 41 Pathways of inquiry ......................................................................................... 41 Health and social welfare concerns............................................................. 42 Impact of the urban environment ................................................................ 42 Car-dependent mobility ............................................................................... 48 Child-friendly cities in Australia................................................................. 55 Independent mobility ................................................................................... 57 Transport and social inclusion .................................................................... 60 Expanding the discourse ............................................................................. 61 Accessibility ................................................................................................ 61 Conclusion ................................................................................................... 62 Chapter 3 .......................................................................................................... 64 Investigating mobilities with children and young people ........................ 64 Principles of child/youth-centred research ................................................. 65 Grounded theory method............................................................................. 70 Research design ........................................................................................... 72 Site selection ................................................................................................ 72 Exploratory questions .................................................................................. 77 Inviting participation ................................................................................... 78 Addressing ethical issues ............................................................................ 79 Participant numbers ..................................................................................... 82 Method ......................................................................................................... 83 Conducting the research .............................................................................. 95 Framework for analysis ............................................................................... 95 v Reflecting on the research process .............................................................. 98 Limitations of the research ........................................................................ 100 Conclusion - valuing children’s and young people’s perspectives .......... 101 INTERLUDE ................................................................................................. 103 Chapter 4 ........................................................................................................ 106 Growing up in an Australian city ................................................................ 106 Introducing Blacktown, Western Sydney ................................................. 107 Blacktown in its historical context ............................................................ 109 Blacktown’s urban character ....................................................................