Identification and Optimization Strategy of Urban Park Service Areas Based on Accessibility by Public Transport: Beijing as a Case Study

Abstract

Parks are an important place for residents to relax. An equitable distribution of parks can promote social equity and enhance the residents’ welfare. The service areas of parks are affected by the mode of transport. As public transport is a green and economic travel mode with a wide range of applications, we identified the service area of parks based on the accessibility of public transport. On this basis, the problem of park layout was analyzed. The results show that: (1) the coverage rate for the park service areas decreased from the center of Beijing to the periphery. The subdistricts around employment districts have a high coverage of park services, whereas some suburban subdistricts lack services. (2) The spatial form of PSAs can be affected by factors such as railways, water courses, and the topography, so there are service gaps for some 48 parks, which are mainly located outside the Fourth Ring Road area. (3) A poor allocation of public transport resources has aggravated the uneven distribution of the park services. Areas with few parks also have poor public transportation conditions.