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The Economics of Enhancing Accessibility Estimating the Benefits and Costs of Participation

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The Economics of Enhancing Accessibility Estimating the Benefits and Costs of Participation The Economics of Enhancing Accessibility Estimating the Benefits and Costs of Participation Discussion01 Paper 2017 • 01 Bridget R.D. Burdett TDG Ltd, Hamilton, New Zealand Stuart M. Locke University of Waikato Management School, Hamilton, New Zealand Frank Scrimgeour Institute for Business Research, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand The Economics of Enhancing Accessibility Estimating the Benefits and Costs of Participation Discussion Paper No. 2017-01 Prepared for the Roundtable on Economics of Accessible Transport 3-4 March 2016, Paris Bridget R.D. Burdett TDG Ltd, Hamilton, New Zealand Stuart M. Locke Department of Finance, University of Waikato Management School, Hamilton, New Zealand Frank Scrimgeour Institute for Business Research, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand February 2017 The International Transport Forum The International Transport Forum is an intergovernmental organisation with 57 member countries. It acts as a think tank for transport policy and organises the Annual Summit of transport ministers. ITF is the only global body that covers all transport modes. The ITF is politically autonomous and administratively integrated with the OECD. The ITF works for transport policies that improve peoples’ lives. Our mission is to foster a deeper understanding of the role of transport in economic growth, environmental sustainability and social inclusion and to raise the public profile of transport policy. The ITF organises global dialogue for better transport. We act as a platform for discussion and pre- negotiation of policy issues across all transport modes. We analyse trends, share knowledge and promote exchange among transport decision-makers and civil society. The ITF’s Annual Summit is the world’s largest gathering of transport ministers and the leading global platform for dialogue on transport policy. The Members of the Forum are: Albania, Armenia, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China (People’s Republic of), Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Republic of Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and the United States. International Transport Forum 2 rue André Pascal F-75775 Paris Cedex 16 [email protected] www.itf-oecd.org ITF Discussion Papers ITF Discussion Papers make economic research, commissioned or carried out in-house at ITF, available to researchers and practitioners. They describe preliminary results or research in progress by the author(s) and are published to stimulate discussion on a broad range of issues on which the ITF works. Any findings, interpretations and conclusions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the International Transport Forum or the OECD. Neither the OECD, ITF nor the authors guarantee the accuracy of any data or other information contained in this publication and accept no responsibility whatsoever for any consequence of their use. This document and any map included herein are without prejudice to the status of or sovereignty over any territory, to the delimitation of international frontiers and boundaries and to the name of any territory, city or area. Comments on Discussion Papers are welcome. Bridget Burdett, Stuart Locke, Frank Scrimgeour – The Economics of Enhancing Accessibility Abstract Inclusiveness affects the underlying thinking and consequential analysis of accessibility issues in transport. If the fundamental premise is that all people are equal and should be viewed as stakeholders in matters of public policy then it not only reflects international treaties, such as the Rights of the Child and the Rights of Persons with Disability, it encapsulates these and others in a broader perspective of equality. To claim that inclusiveness in transport policy is a paradigm shift may be an over statement, however, what seems self-evident in our discussion is not reflected in best practice at this time. It is important that some measure of the particular beneficiaries of investment in barrier-free transport is defined. We propose that the use of observable mobility aids, by persons making all manner of trips as pedestrians and public transport users, can be incorporated into cost-benefit appraisal and to inform broader transport planning. The proportion of people using a mobility aid in catchment populations can be estimated so that gaps can be defined between current and desired levels of demonstrated inclusion in transport and especially accessible infrastructure. This indicator is readily operational to estimate benefits and comparative costs of trips not made. These methods ought to be refined to objectively assess accessibility in parallel with other objectives for transport. ITF Discussion Paper 2017-01 — © OECD/ITF 2017 3 Bridget Burdett, Stuart Locke, Frank Scrimgeour – The Economics of Enhancing Accessibility Table of Contents Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 5 Current context ............................................................................................................................... 5 Approach ......................................................................................................................................... 7 Case study ....................................................................................................................................... 11 Discussion ........................................................................................................................................ 14 What of those who did not cross the road? ................................................................................... 15 The economic model ....................................................................................................................... 16 Sensitivity analysis ....................................................................................................................... 17 Conclusions ..................................................................................................................................... 17 Implications for transport planning and practice in New Zealand ................................................ 18 Limitations and unintended consequences .................................................................................... 19 References ....................................................................................................................................... 20 Figures Figure 1. Types of difficulties mentioned by survey respondents ......................................................... 9 Figure 2. Proportion of respondents with different difficulties who use a mobility aid ...................... 10 Figure 3. Intersection (junction) detailing road crossing locations before (B; above) and after (A) improvement works. ............................................................................................................ 11 Tables Table 1. Pedestrian traffic before and after infrastructure upgrade .................................................... 13 Table 2. Preliminary estimates of benefits from Five Cross Roads investment ................................. 17 4 ITF Discussion Paper 2017-01 — © OECD/ITF 2017 Bridget Burdett, Stuart Locke, Frank Scrimgeour – The Economics of Enhancing Accessibility Introduction In this paper, we discuss how inclusiveness influences the underlying thinking and consequential analysis of accessibility issues from a total community perspective. This is a significant advance in approach to transportation issues and potentially a whole range of other public policy concerns. For the purpose of this discussion, the focus is on transport. If the fundamental premise is that all people are equal and should be viewed as stakeholders in matters of public policy then it not only reflects international treaties, such as the Rights of the Child and the Rights of Persons with Disability, it encapsulates these and others in a broader perspective of equality. To claim that inclusiveness in transport policy is a paradigm shift may be an over statement, however, what seems self-evident in the discussion that follows is not reflected in best practice at this time. Through our discussion, we propose a more inclusive and readily operational approach. Making the goal of inclusion explicit is important so that we can start to measure the gap between an inclusive streetscape, and the status quo, in which many people are absent and unaccounted. What do members of the public assume about new pedestrian and public transport infrastructure? Implicitly they may assume the design conforms to principles of best practice. Constraints in the physical environment, competing demands from road traffic, and compromises to meet constrained budgets require making concessions, which reduce any prospect of universal best design. Potentially, some planners may lack knowledge and understanding as to the nature of what is “best practice”. Additionally, towns and cities across the world have a legacy of less than
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