An increase of public transport and accessibility to urban amenities, some limited results: The case of the Lyons conurbation

Abstract

The observable modifications in cities and on the individuals' way of life have impacts on the mobility practices, on the citizens' social conditions and on the capacity to reach activities. These evolutions can create, reduce or amplify chance inequalities to access activities between the different social groups. It leads to considering in the French decision-making processes, some aspects of the social dimension of sustainability, reduced to chances equalities and to the social implications of accessibility. The accessibility to urban amenities is based on the right to transport as a necessary condition for chance inequalities for all. In this context, we analyze whether an urban transportation system could reduce the population's chance inequalities in terms of social access to a basket of goods. We propose, on the Lyons conurbation, for the year 1999, to quantify the accessibility, by car or by public transport, of the rich or poor districts' inhabitants. Then, we explore the effects of an increase of public transport supply, based on the Urban Travel Plan for the Lyons conurbation. Does now provide improved accessibility and to reduce the inequalities between the richest and the poorest districts?