Accessibility, Equity and Efficiency

'Efficiency and equity are key issues in accessibility studies. Infrastructure investment should be as economically efficient as possible while ensuring a basic level of accessibility for all social groups and territories. This book is set within the complex relationship between efficiency and equity, providing a number of contributions that reveal the importance of accessibility on regional growth, access to services, house prices, modal choice and transport policies. The authors of these chapters are leading researchers in different disciplines making high level contributions in the field of accessibility. Without a doubt, this book will be very attractive for readers interested in accessibility and transportation.'
- Javier Gutiérrez, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain

Leading researchers from around the world show, in this volume, the importance of accessibility in contemporary issues such as rural depopulation, investments in public services and public transport, and transport infrastructure investments in Europe. The trade-offs between accessibility, economic development and equity are comprehensively examined, and a variety of approaches to measuring accessibility and equality presented. The book's interdisciplinary contributions also provide different geographical contexts, from the US to various European and developing countries, and cover ex ante and ex post evaluation of transport investment.

Improving transport accessibility is a main objective in transport policy and planning in developed and developing countries all over the world. Investment is motivated by the need to develop and/or reduce spatial or social inequalities. However, the economic and equity implications of investments in transport are not straightforward. The concepts of accessibility and equity can be defined and operationalized in many different ways, influencing outcomes and conclusions. Moreover, equity and efficiency goals are often conflicting. Accessibility models not only help to explain spatial and transport patterns in developed and developing countries but are also powerful tools to explain the equity and efficiency impacts of urban and transport policies and projects.

This state-of-the-art overview of the accessibility-economic efficiency-equity relationship will appeal to researchers as well as transport and urban planners interested in accessibility issues and transport/regional developments.

Contributors: P.R. Anciães, B. Büttner, K. Button, Z. Chen, P. Christidis, H. Demirel, T.P. Dentinho, J. Evans, K.T. Geurs, M. Kompil, K.J. Krizek, L. La Paix, D. Levinson, E. López, D.P. McArthur, P. Mogush, A. Monzón, R. Neiva, E. Ortega, L. Osland, C. Pakissi, R. Patuelli, B.A. Portnov, I. Thorsen, J. Ubøe, G. Wulfhorst