Vantaa light rail: results of property owners’ survey and light rail game published

Property owners’ and children and teens’ views were charted in fall 2021 with the help of a survey and a light rail game as background for planning Vantaa light rail's disposition plan. The results of the survey and of the light rail game have now been published. The property owners deem the light rail to develop the city, while children and the young wish for more safety and art along the light rail routes.

The property owners’ answers were mostly given by housing companies. As a general rule, potential building of the light rail is deemed to strengthen the Aviapolis, Tikkurila, and Hakunila major regions, since it will especially bolster these areas’ attractiveness and accessibility.

“Aviapolis and Hakunila are already considered areas that are easy to access by car, and the light rail is deemed to increase their accessibility by public transport. In addition, the light rail is seen to bring more attractiveness to all the major regions,” says local master plan planner Eeva-Maria Niemi.

The focuses of development concerning Aviapolis are cycling- and pedestrian friendliness. Hakunila is seen to have a lot of development potential, especially from the perspectives of housing and services, and the light rail is predicted to increase the area’s profile and attractiveness. Some of the responses also expressed concern about maintaining the green areas, typical of Hakunila. Tikkurila is deemed to further boost its position as a strong regional center.

Children and the young want safety and environmental art

The light rail game charted the opinions of children and the young on the planning of the light rail, as well as on their own neighborhoods. Issues related to safety were highlighted.

Children and the young regarded the following places along the light rail as nice: malls and service centers; own home, school and parks; and public transport. Scary places included the dark places in the neighborhoods, grayness, social unrest, as well as scary and threatening people.

They wished that lawns and trees be planted along the light rail route. As far as art is concerned, students in elementary schools most wanted paintings and light art, whereas students in junior high schools and upper secondary education also wished for environmental art.

“Boosting the sense of safety is emphasized in the answers given by children and the young, and we will try to increase it, for instance, by lightning. Young people are enlightened, and it is great to see that they want more environmental art,” sums Janni Honkavaara.

The results of the reports have been presented to the various teams planning the light rail, and they act as background material of planning the light rail. Units involved in Child Friendly Cities work were also informed about the results of the light rail game.

The property owners’ survey took place on November 24-December 31, 2021, whereas the light rail game was played in schools and upper secondary education institutions on November 15-December 22, 2021. Altogether 78 respondents answered the property owners’ survey. A total of 295 respondents began the light rail game whose last question was answered by 100 players. One hundred respondents participated in the test game. All the respondents are accounted for in the results. Because of the number of respondents, the results are not statistically significant; but they are, however, indicative.

Familiarize yourself in more detail with the results of the property owners’ survey and the results of the light rail game.