Choice and equity: A critical analysis of multi-modal public transport services

Abstract

Equity and justice have long been central in transport policy. The emphasise on the importance of individuals' access to social and economic opportunities stresses the link between accessibility and concepts like agency and freedom of choice. It calls for a nuanced and comprehensive understanding of accessibility that considers specific contextual factors that limit people's transport choices, such as the design of public transport networks and services, government interventions, and competition between public transport companies. To promote people's potential mobility and freedom of choice, it is crucial to initially assess the spatial distribution of transport options. In this article, we synthesise the findings from existing scholarship on transport choice, reinforcing the need for (re)considering choice in transport equity. We propose a metric to evaluate the availability of transport choices by considering the trade-off between time and money. By analysing household survey responses on transport choices and transit service datasets, we investigate the spatial disparities in the availability of transport choices within a multimodal public transportation system in Hong Kong and explore how adjusting unappealing choices can potentially enhance transport equity.