Future Directions in Accessibility Research

Accessibility is central to ensuring that all members of society benefit from important infrastructure investments. Hence, this paper focuses on accessibility research that integrates economic and social analyses in order to inform decision processes. A focus on accurate assessment of benefits and costs is foundational. This method of appraising investment, both large and small, removes ambiguities and provides a platform, to ensure the interests of a wider section of society is included in the evaluation. Major investments projects typically do include a benefit cost analysis (BCA). However, smaller outlays often funded through an annual maintenance and improvement budget seldom address a full spectrum of considerations. In these latter cases the opportunity to redress exclusion of sections of society does not get on the agenda. This report is motivated by the need to more adequately perform investment analyses so that transport investments achieve outcomes that are both more equitable and efficient. The deficiencies of past analyses have been identified but achieving improved analyses requires careful attention to data, methods, and their application. The study builds on work already done in order to define opportunities for analysts and agencies both within New Zealand and around the world. Of particular note is the availability of data. Data in various forms are available but presently not readily accessible. Identification of the need for specific forms of data is essential for empirical work and research suggests there are more data available than previously thought. Further work is necessary to find ways in which various repositories can release local area statistics while maintaining the confidentiality of individuals. Counting mobility aid users is recognised as a low cost and relatively robust approximation of access enhancement. The structure of the report is as follows. Section 2 provides context for the study. Section 3 introduces the principles of investment analysis; Section 4 presents the approach to economic benefits whilst Section 5 addresses the estimation of benefits. Section 6 focuses on data whilst Section 7 addresses methodological challenges. Section 8 addresses costs and Section 9 concludes.