Toward spatial justice: The spatial equity effects of a toll road in Cape Town, South Africa

Justin Tycho van Dijk

Stellenbosch University

Stephan Krygsman

Stellenbosch University

Tom de Jong

Utrecht University

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5198/jtlu.2015.555

Keywords: accessibility, toll road, spatial equity, GIS, South Africa


Abstract

The present study sets out to provide an ex ante insight into the equity effects of a toll charge on the traffic diversions and geographical accessibility of work locations in the Cape Town metropolitan region, South Africa. Based on a static traffic assignment model and aggregate accessibility measures, computed in a GIS environment, the effects of a toll were estimated for different income categories for both a reference scenario and two toll scenarios. The findings indicate that particularly low-income commuters will divert to alternative routes. However, the results also indicate that the introduction of a toll will only have a limited impact on geographical accessibility. Nevertheless, because particularly low-income commuters are likely to divert to alternative routes, a toll should maybe not be levied on the road toward spatial justice without revenue redistribution or additional investment in the public transport system.

Author Biographies

Justin Tycho van Dijk, Stellenbosch University

Department of Logistics

Stephan Krygsman, Stellenbosch University

Department of Logistics

Tom de Jong, Utrecht University

Faculty of Geosciences

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