As the UN projects that 68% of the global population will live in cities by mid-century, urban areas face converging crises: affordable housing shortages, traffic congestion, pollution, and climate-driven extreme weather. The impact falls disproportionately on vulnerable groups, including children, women, older adults, and disabled people, who are often overlooked in car-centric urban design.
In Delft, the Netherlands, authorities have rebalanced space for walking, cycling, public transport, and vehicles, creating vibrant public spaces where residents move freely and safely. This contrasts with many cities where vested interests defend car-oriented systems, and politicians mistake vocal opposition for public sentiment.
Female mayors have shown that such opposition rarely reflects true popularity. In Barcelona, Ada Colau’s administration reclaimed one million square metres of pedestrian space via “superblocks,” tripled cycle lanes to 273km (170 miles), and put 90% of the population within 300 metres of a cycling route. The city reported an 80-hectare increase in green space, 50% less car traffic, and a 20% cut in air pollution from 2019 to 2023.
In Montreal, Valérie Plante introduced the continent’s most ambitious car-free scheme, investing C$12m (£6.5m) to pedestrianise over 9km along 11 commercial arteries each summer, benefiting 2,100 local businesses. Her “sponge streets” programme replaces grey asphalt with permeable surfaces to combat flooding, while the Réseau express vélo will offer 191km of protected cycle lanes.
In Paris, Anne Hidalgo, mayor until last month, transformed car-choked streets with 1,000km of cycling routes, pedestrian areas, and expanded public transport, despite fierce criticism. These examples illustrate how women leaders, drawing on lived experience of urban inequality, are reshaping cities to benefit everyone, not just the wealthy few.
