IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v11y2019i5p1229-d209107.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Association between Urban Public Transport Infrastructure and Social Equity and Spatial Accessibility within the Urban Environment: An Investigation of Tramlink in London

Author

Listed:
  • Neil Cuthill

    (Bartlett School of Planning, University College London, London WC1H 0NN, UK)

  • Mengqiu Cao

    (Bartlett School of Planning, University College London, London WC1H 0NN, UK
    Department of Planning and Transport, University of Westminster, London NW1 5LS, UK)

  • Yuqi Liu

    (Department of Urban Planning and Design, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China)

  • Xing Gao

    (Bartlett School of Planning, University College London, London WC1H 0NN, UK)

  • Yuerong Zhang

    (Bartlett School of Planning, University College London, London WC1H 0NN, UK)

Abstract

The pursuit of sustainability has been at the forefront of contemporary planning initiatives. However, most recent research has focused on the environmental and economic aspects of developing sustainable urban environment, whilst largely neglecting the social aspects. Contemporary political thinking in the UK often disregards the potential of the urban infrastructure to improve social equity. The aim of this study was to analyse the impact of transport infrastructure on a variety of social measures, in an empirical and ideologically unbiased fashion, using both quantitative and qualitative methods. We selected “Tramlink” as a case study: a light-rail system in the London Borough of Croydon which began operation in 2000. We used quantitative methods, including advanced spatial statistics, to produce a more detailed analysis of social equity than has been previously published. This acknowledges that determining localised issues can produce more informed and effective policy interventions. Our results demonstrate that the physical properties of transport infrastructure and the non-physical attributes of society, in combination, help to create opportunities for individuals to succeed. We also find that in order to reduce the negative effects of austerity, public money could be more effectively spent if diverted to areas that are most in need which can be highlighted through localised investigations.

Suggested Citation

  • Neil Cuthill & Mengqiu Cao & Yuqi Liu & Xing Gao & Yuerong Zhang, 2019. "The Association between Urban Public Transport Infrastructure and Social Equity and Spatial Accessibility within the Urban Environment: An Investigation of Tramlink in London," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-18, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:5:p:1229-:d:209107
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/5/1229/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/5/1229/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Corinne Mulley, 2014. "Accessibility and Residential Land Value Uplift: Identifying Spatial Variations in the Accessibility Impacts of a Bus Transitway," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 51(8), pages 1707-1724, June.
    2. Robin Hickman & Mengqiu Cao & Beatriz Mella Lira & Alexis Fillone & Jose Bienvenido Biona, 2017. "Understanding Capabilities, Functionings and Travel in High and Low Income Neighbourhoods in Manila," Social Inclusion, Cogitatio Press, vol. 5(4), pages 161-174.
    3. Mengqiu Cao & Robin Hickman, 2018. "Car dependence and housing affordability: An emerging social deprivation issue in London?," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 55(10), pages 2088-2105, August.
    4. Gibbons, Stephen & Machin, Stephen, 2005. "Valuing rail access using transport innovations," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 57(1), pages 148-169, January.
    5. D. Knowles, Richard & Ferbrache, Fiona, 2016. "Evaluation of wider economic impacts of light rail investment on cities," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 430-439.
    6. Glen Bramley & Nicola Dempsey & Sinead Power & Caroline Brown & David Watkins, 2009. "Social Sustainability and Urban Form: Evidence from Five British Cities," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 41(9), pages 2125-2142, September.
    7. Schwanen, Tim & Banister, David & Anable, Jillian, 2012. "Rethinking habits and their role in behaviour change: the case of low-carbon mobility," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 24(C), pages 522-532.
    8. D Banister & S Watson & C Wood, 1997. "Sustainable Cities: Transport, Energy, and Urban Form," Environment and Planning B, , vol. 24(1), pages 125-143, February.
    9. Manasvini Thiagarajan & Galen Newman & Shannon Van Zandt, 2018. "The Projected Impact of a Neighborhood-Scaled Green-Infrastructure Retrofit," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-13, October.
    10. Muhammad Waqas & Qian-li Dong & Naveed Ahmad & Yuming Zhu & Muhammad Nadeem, 2018. "Understanding Acceptability towards Sustainable Transportation Behavior: A Case Study of China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-24, October.
    11. Baum-Snow, Nathaniel & Kahn, Matthew E., 2000. "The effects of new public projects to expand urban rail transit," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 77(2), pages 241-263, August.
    12. A S Fotheringham, 1993. "On the Future of Spatial Analysis: The Role of GIS," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 25(1_suppl), pages 30-34, January.
    13. David Wheeler & Michael Tiefelsdorf, 2005. "Multicollinearity and correlation among local regression coefficients in geographically weighted regression," Journal of Geographical Systems, Springer, vol. 7(2), pages 161-187, June.
    14. Allan Pred, 1985. "Interpenetrating Processes: Human Agency And The Becoming Of Regional Spatial And Social Structures," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 57(1), pages 7-17, January.
    15. Dorota Kamrowska-Zaluska & Hanna Obracht-Prondzyńska, 2018. "The Use of Big Data in Regenerative Planning," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-20, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Diogo Da Fonseca-Soares & Josicleda Domiciano Galvinicio & Sayonara Andrade Eliziário & Angel Fermin Ramos-Ridao, 2022. "A Bibliometric Analysis of the Trends and Characteristics of Railway Research," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-19, October.
    2. Gloria Alarcón-García & José Daniel Buendía-Azorín & María del Mar Sánchez-de-la-Vega, 2022. "Infrastructure and Subjective Well-Being from a Gender Perspective," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-22, February.
    3. Cao, Mengqiu & Hickman, Robin, 2019. "Understanding travel and differential capabilities and functionings in Beijing," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 46-56.
    4. Navid Nadimi & Aliakbar Zamzam & Todd Litman, 2023. "University Bus Services: Responding to Students’ Travel Demands?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-17, June.
    5. Yapeng Li, 2022. "Common Sharing or Public Sharing: A Study on the Choice Behavior of Urban Citizens in Public Travel," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-19, August.
    6. Jiawei Gui & Qunqi Wu, 2020. "Multiple Utility Analyses for Sustainable Public Transport Planning and Management: Evidence from GPS-Equipped Taxi Data in Haikou," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-46, September.
    7. Borut Jereb & Ondrej Stopka & Tomáš Skrúcaný, 2021. "Methodology for Estimating the Effect of Traffic Flow Management on Fuel Consumption and CO 2 Production: A Case Study of Celje, Slovenia," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-18, March.
    8. Ilaria Henke & Armando Cartenì & Clorinda Molitierno & Assunta Errico, 2020. "Decision-Making in the Transport Sector: A Sustainable Evaluation Method for Road Infrastructure," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-19, January.
    9. Fadyushin Alexey & Zakharov Dmitrii, 2020. "Influence of the Parameters of the Bus Lane and the Bus Stop on the Delays of Private and Public Transport," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-18, November.
    10. Echaniz, Eneko & Cordera, Rubén & Rodriguez, Andrés & Nogués, Soledad & Coppola, Pierlugi & dell’Olio, Luigi, 2022. "Spatial and temporal variation of user satisfaction in public transport systems," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 88-97.
    11. Raoul S. Liévanos & Amy Lubitow & Julius Alexander McGee, 2019. "Misrecognition in a Sustainability Capital: Race, Representation, and Transportation Survey Response Rates in the Portland Metropolitan Area," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(16), pages 1-33, August.
    12. Cheng, Long & Shi, Kunbo & De Vos, Jonas & Cao, Mengqiu & Witlox, Frank, 2021. "Examining the spatially heterogeneous effects of the built environment on walking among older adults," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 21-30.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Redfearn, Christian L., 2009. "How informative are average effects? Hedonic regression and amenity capitalization in complex urban housing markets," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 39(3), pages 297-306, May.
    2. Gabriel Ahlfeldt & Pantelis Koutroumpis & Tommaso Valletti, 2017. "Speed 2.0: Evaluating Access to Universal Digital Highways," Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Association, vol. 15(3), pages 586-625.
    3. Juan Tomas Sayago-Gomez & Adam Nowak, 2016. "What is Near and Recent in Crime for a Homeowner? The Cases of Denver and Seattle," Working Papers Working Paper 2016-01, Regional Research Institute, West Virginia University.
    4. Daniel P. McMillen, 2010. "Issues In Spatial Data Analysis," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 50(1), pages 119-141, February.
    5. Ahlfeldt, Gabriel M. & Nitsch, Volker & Wendland, Nicolai, 2019. "Ease vs. noise: Long-run changes in the value of transport (dis)amenities," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    6. Pearson, Jonathan & Muldoon-Smith, Kevin & Liu, Henry & Robson, Simon, 2022. "How does the extension of existing transport infrastructure affect land value? A case study of the Tyne and Wear Light Transit Metro system," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).
    7. Dubé, Jean & Andrianary, Eugénie & Assad-Déry, François & Poupart, Janie & Simard, Justine, 2018. "Exploring difference in value uplift resulting from new bus rapid transit routes within a medium size metropolitan area," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 258-269.
    8. Olaru, Doina & Mulley, Corinne & Smith, Brett & Ma, Liang, 2017. "Policy-led selection of the most appropriate empirical model to estimate hedonic prices in the residential market," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 213-228.
    9. Dziauddin, Mohd Faris, 2019. "Estimating land value uplift around light rail transit stations in Greater Kuala Lumpur: An empirical study based on geographically weighted regression (GWR)," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 10-20.
    10. Christian L. Redfearn, 2007. "Urban Complexity & Parameter Instability: Assessing Amenity Capitalization in the Presence of External Heterogeneity," Working Paper 8563, USC Lusk Center for Real Estate.
    11. Ana Isabel Moreno-Monroy & Frederico Ramos, 2015. "The impact of public transport expansions on informality: the case of the São Paulo Metropolitan Region," ERSA conference papers ersa15p1551, European Regional Science Association.
    12. Xu, Yangfei & Zhang, Qinghua & Zheng, Siqi, 2015. "The rising demand for subway after private driving restriction: Evidence from Beijing's housing market," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 28-37.
    13. Patricia Yañez-Pagans & Daniel Martinez & Oscar A. Mitnik & Lynn Scholl & Antonia Vazquez, 2019. "Urban transport systems in Latin America and the Caribbean: lessons and challenges," Latin American Economic Review, Springer;Centro de Investigaciòn y Docencia Económica (CIDE), vol. 28(1), pages 1-25, December.
    14. Gabriel M. Ahlfeldt & Georgios Kavetsos, 2014. "Form or function?: the effect of new sports stadia on property prices in London," Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series A, Royal Statistical Society, vol. 177(1), pages 169-190, January.
    15. Gaduh, Arya & Gračner, Tadeja & Rothenberg, Alexander D., 2022. "Life in the slow lane: Unintended consequences of public transit in Jakarta," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).
    16. Gabriel M Ahlfeldt, 2013. "If We Build it, Will They Pay? Predicting Property Price Effects of Transport Innovations," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 45(8), pages 1977-1994, August.
    17. Alex Chernoff & Andrea N. Craig, 2022. "Distributional And Housing Price Effects From Public Transit Investment: Evidence From Vancouver," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 63(1), pages 475-509, February.
    18. Diao, Mi & Leonard, Delon & Sing, Tien Foo, 2017. "Spatial-difference-in-differences models for impact of new mass rapid transit line on private housing values," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 64-77.
    19. Teulings, Coen N. & Ossokina, Ioulia V. & de Groot, Henri L.F., 2018. "Land use, worker heterogeneity and welfare benefits of public goods," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 67-82.
    20. Teulings, Coen & Ossokina, Ioulia V. & de Groot, Henri L.F., 2014. "Welfare Benefits of Agglomeration and Worker Heterogeneity," IZA Discussion Papers 8382, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:5:p:1229-:d:209107. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.