Rethinking accessibility in a post pandemic, net zero world

Abstract

Most measures of accessibility depend on the specific context for which they are used. This paper explores the way measuring accessibility needs to change to meet the needs of equity both across communities and across generations. The accessibility of a place needs to reflect the accessibility faced by all individuals at that place. Including equity in investment appraisal raises the problem that implicit lower values of time for certain groups can lower the value of investments making improvements to transport in poorer areas more difficult to justify. The Covid-19 pandemic led to reductions in peak-hour traffic and the decentralisation of residential location as working from home increased. The move towards net-zero affects mode choice and changes infrastructure needs. In the longer term, however, this will require a recalibration of mobility needs and housing needs as the cost of movement rises to meet these new challenges. The paper explores the need to redefine both the economic mass to which access is sought and the deterrence effect of space recognising that this will need to reflect the different circumstances of individuals and households. Accessibility is ultimately a reflection of the general equilibrium of labour, housing and transport markets.

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