Public transport accessibility: simulation of the usability of public transport in everyday situations

Abstract

The article presents an innovative method of evaluating public transport accessibility. The evaluation is based on a simulation of the usability of public transport in real everyday situations. It measures the amount of time the residents of local communities need when they use public transport to reach various commonly used destinations at a specified time. The method’s main advantage is that it aims at reflecting everyday use of public transport. I demonstrate the use of the method by exploratory accessibility mapping, comparison of regions, and demonstration of the usability of partial indicators. Analysis results reveal the basic spatial patterns of public transport accessibility in Czechia: better accessibility in Moravia than Bohemia, good accessibility in the hinterland of large cities, and impaired accessibility in inner peripheries. Accessibility varies significantly depending on the time of day. The results also allow us to deduce how much of the population experience difficulties using public transport due to impaired accessibility.