Combining walking accessiblity measures to map spatial inequalities

• Main Authors: Aldo Arranz-López, Luis M. Mejía-Macias, Julio A. Soria-Lara
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2021-01-01
• Series: Journal of Maps
• Subjects: social exclusion; travel time; pedestrian; retail; active mobility
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17445647.2021.1962752

Evaluating spatial inequalities using a single walking accessibility measure is quite challenging. In response, the paper proposes combining two accessibility measures (real and potential) to provide additional insights into the identification and mapping of spatial inequalities. The municipality of Getafe in the Madrid Metropolitan Area, Spain serves as a case study. A questionnaire, administered via face-to-face interviews, recorded the resident’s walking preferences for reaching in-store retail. A gravity-based model was used to calculate real and potential accessibilities, which were combined to map four accessibility places that originate spatial inequalities: advantageous, moderately advantageous, moderately disadvantageous, and disadvantageous. The results suggest that potential accessibility values are higher than real accessibility values, and the final map shows the city centre residents (mostly seniors) benefit from the advantageous accessibility places. Disadvantageous places are mainly found in the city’s periphery, where younger people live.