In the literature on the subject, one can distinguish numerous attempts to define and analyze transport accessibility. Most often, they are linked to transport infrastructure, which forms the basis for the efficient movement of passengers and cargo. In this view, the development of infrastructure in terms of space and quality is a condition for improving the transport accessibility of a given area.
Another possible way to analyze transport accessibility is to relate it to transport services provided by public transport. The main factors influencing the level of accessibility to transport services include: distance to a transport point, cost of transport service, travel time, and passenger information about the transport service. The purpose of this article is to present the theoretical achievements and practical solutions in the field of accessibility to public transport services, with particular reference to areas with low demand for transport services. The basis for the above considerations are selected items of domestic and foreign literature on the subject as well as practical examples in this area.
According to A.M. El-Geneidy and D.M. Levinson, the concept of accessibility derives from the words access and ability and is related to the possibility of using the transport network (linear and point-based), as well as transport services. A more general view on the possible analysis of accessibility is presented by the works of M.Q. Dalvi and K.M. Martin, who link accessibility with the transport system. According to the researchers, the transport system determines the ease of reaching accepted goals and places. A similar approach is also expressed in the works of K. Spiekermann and J. Neubauer. The cited authors assumed that transport accessibility is the basic “product” of the transport system of a given area, exposing the benefits of the location of a given area (region, city, or route) in relation to other areas.
A wide range of analysis of the concept of accessibility can also be found in works published by T. Litman, which makes it a difficult issue to define precisely. According to the researcher, the following scopes of accessibility analysis can be distinguished:
– physical – related to access to goods, places, services,
– spatial – taking into account access to real estate,
– geographical – defining the ease of reaching a given place,
– social – conditioned by the possibility of using products and/or services (including transport services).
This dimension of accessibility was previously pointed out by L.D. Burnts, who stated that accessibility provides the opportunity to participate in various activities, which affects the degree of individual freedom.
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Source: Logistyka Magazine