Does Accessibility Planning address what matters? A review of current practice and practitioner perspectives

Abstract

The motivation for this paper is to explore how local transport planners are using Accessibility Planning to address inequalities and disadvantage in accessibility. The research seeks to contribute to the existing literature on accessibility measurement by providing evidence to understand how such measures are used in one practical application: the English Accessibility Planning process; and reacts to the assertion that measures may not assess the complex social interactions, perceptions and behaviours which influence travel and ultimately the accessibility of individuals. As such, measuring accessibility in this way may not lead to desired improvements in social welfare. The paper therefore seeks to understand which measures can lead to the outcomes desired from Accessibility Planning