Introduction
The last fifty years have seen a great many changes in the social, political and economic status of women in Britain. This has led to a change in the pattern of their daily lives and the way they use urban space. This essay aims to: examine what some of the changes in women's roles have been and at present patterns of women's lives. discuss how the changes examined in a) have affected their use and expectations of urban space for certain activities and how these are constrained/ promoted by the spatial organisation of cities. Discuss solutions to the constraints found in b) and how in the future urban space could be organised for greater gender equality. There are huge variations between the lives of different women at any one time. However, due to the limitation of space I will concentrate on the main "stereotypes". 
a) Changes in women's roles
In the 1950's women's main roles were as mothers and carers. It was generally assumed that they would stay at home and look after the children whilst the men/fathers went out to work. Women who did work did so mainly in jobs that were subsidiary to men and there was also large pay differential between the sexes. Over the last fifty years more and more women are working both before they have children and through out the rest of their lives. The types of jobs women work in have changed; they are more likely to have careers although women are more likely to work part time than men. There has been a decline in the nuclear family. Women are marrying later, having fewer children and starting their families later in their lives as demonstrated below: The 2001 Census data shows that number of lone parents has also increased, 9 out of 10 of whom are women. Women still on average earn less than men, although the gap as narrowed as the graph below shows: Despite their greater participation in the workforce they still spend more time caring for children than men; an average of 4.5 hours per day in comparison to men's 3.5 hours per day (Office for National Statistics, 2004.) The graph below from the ONS (2004) demonstrates the effects the age of parent's youngest dependent child has on their economic activity: This demonstrates women's working lives are influenced more by child care than men's. The data discussed above indicates that in some ways the lives of men and women have become more similar as women participate more in the workforce However, many differences remain largely due to the responsibility for child care. b) EmploymentAs women's participation in the workforce has increased, they spend more time out of the home. Their use of the urban environment for work, leisure and travel has changed and they now expect equal access to the work space, services and other facilities. 'For many women employment ... brings them into the centre of city life as workers, travellers, consumers, and customers. Women workers fill shops banks and street during their midday break when they are often doing domestic chores essential to family living' (Booth et al., 1996, page 30). Fewer women of working age are therefore shopping locally and social interaction in local communities has seen changes. As discussed by Watson (2002, page 290). 'Urban planning and development have tended to reflect and also reinforce traditional assumptions about gender'. The design and layout of cities has been influenced by the older norms of a society which assumed that men were the main bread winners and women carers. Urban areas are often zoned according to the assumption that men go to work in the morning and back in the evening. Women's work patterns need to be more flexible when trying to balance many roles. As demonstrated earlier, women tend to bear the main responsibility for childcare. Access to childcare facilities is important in allowing women to participate in the work force. As discussed in the Financial Times ( Turner, 2004) the Equal Opportunities Commission has found that the difficulty mothers face in juggling care and paid work accounts for more then a third of the pay gap between women and men. The provision of child care facilities in accessible localities at an affordable price can be important factor in influencing women's ability to participate in the work force. TransportAccess to adequate effective and affordable transport is vital to give women freedom and flexibility. The growth in car ownership over the last fifty years has provided those with access to a car with greater freedom. However, as stated by the ONS in 2004, 'Women are more likely to live in households with no access to car (25% compared with 17% of men).' Women are more likely to be reliant on public transport and walking than men. Arguably, the public transport system is built on stereotyped male use patterns. This can make it difficult for some women working and trying to carry out other tasks to access shops, services and other facilities. The school run, other escort duties and shopping are still mainly women's responsibility: As discussed by John Whitelegg (1993, page 83) 'transport policies which influence location and accessibility will steal time from the different groups and reallocate it to (usually) richer groups.' This "time penalty" will be felt most by those less well off in society. The impact of spatial organisation in cities may have a disproportionately negative effect on the lives of the poorest. The poorest women may be those who have more extensive responsibilities for daily care of other kin than more affluent women. As discussed below, safety fears when travelling can also limit women's freedom, especially when walking/using public transport. Personal Safety'The fear of crime can severely inhibit and restrict women's freedom of movement' (Booth et al., 1996, p107.) A 1989 MORI poll found that 90% of women interviewed were afraid to go on their own at night and 70% avoided going out after dark (Hanna, 1990) Women may forgo certain activities, or have to modify/adapt their behaviour to reduce the risk of crime, especially after dark and when using public transport. Some writers such as Bell (1998) believe that public safety i.e. the risk of assault by another person and the fear this type of crime can be increased or reduced according to the design and layout of urban spaces. Factors such as the location and layout of public transport stops and levels of surveillance and maintenance can all contribute to/reduce the feeling of safety. Areas which are isolated and have bad lighting and visibility such as pedestrian subways, foot paths, lifts, stairwells and alleyways have increased risk. Areas which have a mix of uses and are busy at all times are more likely to be accessible to women; 'A well used city street is apt to be a safe street. A deserted street is apt to be unsafe.' (Jacobs, 1961, page 34) c) Is it Possible to Design a Truly Inclusive City? A truly inclusive city would be one where men and women had the same access and employment opportunities, freedom of movement and life style choices. They should both feel safe in the urban environment and be able to use space equally for work, rest and play. The ability for both parents to work flexibly and share the child care responsibilities is critical for this equality. Some writers argue that a city where there is a mix of uses, not zoning, may make it easier for people to carry out multiple roles. A balance of work, housing, shopping, schools, childcare and leisure activities which have good safe transport links between them could allow people to use urban space more flexibly. A compact city (see diagram in appendix) with good public transport networks and that are pedestrian friendly, would make it easier for those who do not have access to a car to get around. Safety needs to be planned into urban space, street lighting, location and design of walk ways, bus stops etc. As J Jacobs (1961) explains having buildings that are oriented to the street and a city that is alive at night all increase safety. ConclusionChanges in women's roles over the last fifty years have meant women's use of urban space has altered. Men and women have increasingly complex and flexible working patterns, whilst women still have the major responsibility for childcare. The spatial organisation of cities often does not reflect/ facilitate these changed roles. Both men and women would benefit from living in urban space which was planned taking into consideration these new patterns rather than old assumptions of gender roles. Involving more women in planning the built environment professions could help produce more gender balance in the future. 