Income Stratification in Urban Accessibility: the case of Barcelona

Abstract

This paper examines transportation accessibility with public transit from an equity perspective. In particular, it aims to identify disparities in access to essential services within the city of Barcelona. The performed analysis uses four types of accessibility measures, namely Cumulative Opportunities, a Gravity-based measure, a Shen-based measure, and Spatial Availability, to assess access to nine categories of Points of Interest, such as educational, healthcare, and shopping centers from Barcelona residential blocks. Sociodemographic and socioeconomic data were incorporated into the analysis to understand how different population groups experience accessibility disparities. Results proved that each measure provides a unique perspective on accessibility, highlighting distinct aspects of the disparities between income groups and other sociodemographic factors. Our findings underscore the importance of policymakers considering comprehensive accessibility measures to achieve a more accurate and equitable understanding of public transit accessibility and thus be able to implement more effective urban planning and development strategies.