Gender and Time Poverty: The Neglected Social Policy Implications of Gendered Time,Transport and Travel

Abstract

Women in the developed world have different transport and travel patterns from men. Women are often involved in poorly resourced, highly complex, multiple-purpose trips (trip chaining); men tend to make single-purpose trips at higher cost and using superior modes of transport. These differences in transport and travel patterns are generated out of differential access by gender to economic resources, social resources and time resources. Women are time poor as a consequence of the disproportionate level of household tasks they are required to perform within present social structures. This research note identifies gaps in current UK social policy development around getting single mothers from welfare into work. It suggests a range of information technology based solutions which could assist single mothers in accomplishing the complex coordinatory task set them by the new policies on lone parenthood which need to be accompanied by improvements in transport if the `welfare to work' policy is to be successful.