Perceived importance of inclusive street dimensions: a public questionnaire survey from a vision(ing) perspective

The increasingly prevalent concept of inclusiveness in the public discourse is gaining a foothold in the paradigm shift of street design from a predominance of vehicular traffic towards a vision that caters to non-motorised modes and creates an urban setting conducive to non-mobile activities. This study aims to investigate perceived importance within a set of six dimensions of street design (i.e., accessibility, connectivity, streetscape, safety and security, urban vibrancy, and greenery), which is an inclusive street vision and can be contextualised in the act of visioning. A street-intercept questionnaire survey (n = 816) was conducted in Singapore, and gender, age and transport mode use information were also collected. Using a multivariate and graphical approach, a categorical canonical correlation analysis was performed that highlighted the elderly and motorcyclists as groups with potentially different perceptions. Then, univariate ordinal logistic regression models were fitted separately on the six dimensions; gender was non-significant, while age and certain transport modes were significant. In particular, in addition to age, the car passenger transport mode was significant in five dimensions. Recent developments in Singapore’s urban transport, which is undergoing rapid changes due to incremental improvement schemes and disruptive services, such as ride hailing and bicycle sharing, are further discussed. As mobility needs and desirable street qualities vary across transport modes, this study serves as a precursor of further research into specific inclusive street dimensions, such as streetscape and urban vibrancy. The results indicate that land use and transport systems should be planned or redeveloped collaboratively to incorporate users’ aspirations.