June 21st, 2024
 
During one of the semi-structured interviews, one of the interviewees made a comment about the relationship between decay and perceptions of safety in urban spaces. I could connect with this statement of feeling safe in public spaces through the time spent around decaying spaces in Paisley, and could see the value in focusing on peripheral spaces, to make direct living environments safer and more enjoyable. This can be achieved through various things, to do with lighting, reuse and smart usage of retail space. I noticed several things on my cycling trips. For example, nearly all the derelict and vacant sites I visited had lampposts adjacent to them, which suggested that poor lighting, a common concern regarding safety, was not a significant issue here. This observation indicates that enhancing these spaces might not necessarily require additional lighting interventions but rather other forms of redevelopment. Similarly, most spaces were situated next to a main roads. In at least eleven spaces it was impossible to take a picture of the decaying site without having a car in the frame. This proximity to busy roads was echoed in the videos I recorded, where the constant hum of car and airplane noise was evident.                                                                                                     
Street art and graffiti tags were present in various derelict spaces, as was the presence of plastic and other rubbish in various stages of degradation. Three spaces were once big car parks, which was interesting given that multiple workshop participants flagged the addition of a car park as a town asset. Furthermore, many of the derelict sites were located near bus stops or billboards, often in close proximity. The presence of graffiti and degradation near these public transport nodes could contribute to a lingering sense of insecurity among residents who use these services. This proximity may exacerbate concerns about safety and deter the use of public transportation. From what I’ve seen, fixing up these rundown spaces is about more than just patching up the buildings. It’s really about how these areas fit into their surroundings and how people use them. Improving these spots with smart design and making them useful for different things could really change how people feel about them and how often they use them. If we get this right, we can make these places safer and more welcoming for everyone in the community.