The spatial aspects of fairness

As well as their family background, an individual's chances in life are determined by the opportunities available to them in their geographical context. This chapter therefore deals with the spatial aspects of fairness. It focuses, firstly, on socio-economic factors which are not randomly distributed in space (i.e. they have a geographical pattern). Secondly, it focuses, not on first nature geographical differences which cannot be changed (such as the presence of mountains), but on second nature geographical factors (such as access to basic services or hospitals) which can be altered and which are important in overcoming a region's natural disadvantages. It then links the two

Accessibility, Equity and Efficiency: Challenges for Transport and Public Services

The tension between economic efficiency and equity is often the focus of major debate. This book focuses on the links and trade-offs between accessibility impacts from transport investments, economic efficiency, and equity in both the developed and developing country contexts. The book shows that the linkages between accessibility, economic development and equity are not straightforward. The economic effects from transport projects are the result of a complex pattern of effects leading in different directions. Transportation equity analyses are challenging because there are several types of equity, various ways to categorize people for equity analysis purposes, numerous impacts to consider, and various ways of measuring these impacts. This book contributes to this field of research by showing that accessibility instruments can address both efficiency and equity issues, thus providing valuable information for decision-making regarding the spatial allocation of public services