As the FIFA Women’s World Cup kicks off in Sydney, it won’t just be the world’s best footballers having their moment in the spotlight, the NSW Government will be lighting up Moore Park to ensure people can safely walk between the Sydney Football Stadium and key public transport stops.
The Safer Cities lighting installation will improve safety and accessibility to fans travelling to and from games, in response to a new report released today showing the majority of women do not feel safe in public spaces after dark.
The Women’s World Cup is set to be the biggest women’s sporting event in the world to date and is shaping up to be one of the biggest sporting events in Sydney since the 2000 Olympics.
Four key routes between Sydney Football Stadium, Central Station, and the Moore Park Light Rail will be installed with creative, directional lighting designs and additional wayfinding signage. Many of the lights have been recycled from VIVID installations.
The interventions aim to create a more welcoming space for FIFA Women’s World Cup attendees, while also helping them feel safer and more comfortable walking in the area at night.
The Safer Cities Survey Report, released today, sought feedback on the concerns and experiences that affect the community’s sense of safety in and around public spaces and public transport hubs across the state.
The report found that most women do not feel safe in public spaces after dark:
- 56% of women do not feel safe after dark in public spaces.
- 9 in 10 women agreed that safety influences how they move around.
- The top five things that help a public space feel safer for women are: good lighting, presence of people, time of day, easy to navigate, and if it looks cared for.
- When moving through and within public spaces, women prioritise safety over convenience.
- Three in four women would walk more if they felt safer in public spaces.
- Women feel safest in activated public spaces where there are people around no matter what time of day it is.
Nearly 5,500 community members – 80% of whom identified as women – shared feedback between December 2022 and February 2023.
Most people, regardless of gender, consider whether they feel safe when they choose how to move around cities. But for women, feeling safe is more important than choosing the most convenient route.
As part of the Safer Cities Program, a two-year $30 million investment in helping people to feel safer in public spaces and at public transport hubs, the NSW Government is trialling the first of many projects in Sydney’s Moore Park, when NSW hosts this year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup.
With up to 40,000 football fans attending each of the games at Moore Park, the best way to get there is by public transport or by walking.
Extra bus and light rail services will be running, as well as improved wayfinding and walking routes to help spectators travel to and from the precinct safely and easily.
Traffic will be heavy around Moore Park and parking is limited so fans are strongly urged to leave the car at home.
Travel on public transport to all matches in Sydney is included in your ticket, simply show your ticket to transport staff when boarding services on your way to and from the games.
For more information on public transport options and to plan your trip, please visit Transport NSWlaunch and use the Opal Travel app.
NSW Transport Minister Jo Haylen said:
“Feeling safe shouldn’t be dependent on your gender, everyone has a right to feel safe in public spaces.”
“It’s concerning to hear women in our recent survey were twice as likely to feel unsafe in public spaces after dark compared to men, which is why we are acting to ensure everyone feels safe when travelling around their town or city, starting with those moving through Moore Park.”
“We’ve been working with students from with Sydney Girls High School opposite the site to help us understand what makes them feel safe or unsafe and how we can improve their experience of walking or cycling to and from school.”
“The activation during FIFA Women’s World Cup is the first step in creating safer connections through parks, public places and around transport hubs, for everyone, at all times of day.”
“Public spaces are at the heart of all of our communities, and everyone should be able to enjoy them regardless of their gender or whether it is day or night.”