An analysis of spatial equity concerning investments in high-speed rail systems: The case study of Italy

Abstract

It is recognised in the literature that spatial accessibility is a measure of spatial equity and can be represented by the ease of travelling from an origin to a given destination via a given mode or set of transport modes. Although urban areas can benefit from improvements in accessibility when a new high-speed rail line is built, equity issues may arise. This manuscript describes a methodology for evaluating equity impacts due to an extension of the High Speed Rail network in Italy. A joint Revealed/Stated Preference survey has been carried out, collecting socioeconomic and travel data. Specifically, nine hypothetical scenarios have been submitted to Italian users aiming at understanding the motivations for not choosing the High Speed Rail as an alternative. The main outcome is that the access/egress travel costs connected with the High Speed Rail have a strong impact on spatial equity. The main policy implications of this study are that investors in high-speed rail should not only take into account the economic benefits brought by them, but also the spatial imbalance that these systems can bring.