Inclusive Streets by Design: System-Level Impacts on Mobility-Impaired Individuals Using Agent-Based Modelling

Project Overview

Street design strongly influences who can move safely through a city and access opportunities. This project focuses on making street space more inclusive for individuals with impaired mobility, such as wheelchair users, older adults, and those with walking aids. While measures like step-free access and tactile guidance exist, credible decision-making tools that consider all road users—especially those with mobility impairments—are urgently needed.

This project advances an integrated urban design decision framework that measures the impact of street interventions on urban permeability, pedestrian and vehicular interactions, and access at the street-segment scale. Outputs will be communicated effectively for policymakers, local authorities, and communities.

What You Will Do

The candidate will develop an Agent-Based Model (ABM) to quantify how redesigning streets for impaired mobility alters movement patterns. Alongside, they will create a 2.5D policy-centred interactive geovisualisation tool to present these findings in an actionable format. The work involves collaboration with the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and consultation with organisations advocating disabled rights.

This research builds on existing projects using street view imagery to detect accessibility obstacles and will extend these methods for greater impact.

Expected Outcomes

The project will deliver a novel, impairment-aware decision-making framework integrating ABM and geovisualisation to help reshape urban design priorities. It aims to improve equitable access and safety in street environments and provide planners with spatial tools to better accommodate mobility-impaired users.

Why This Matters

Inclusive street design is vital for equitable participation and dignity in urban life. By accounting for the full range of road users, especially those with impaired mobility, this research contributes to societal commitments to accessibility. It supports local authorities and policymakers with evidence and tools to create more permeable, safe, and accessible urban spaces.