Accessibility Impacts of Chinas High-Speed Rail Network - Essay Example

Accessibility Impacts of China’s High-Speed Rail Network According to Cao et al, accessibility is the extent to which land-use and transport systems enable groups of individuals to reach activities or destinations by means of a combination of transport modes (18). It is, therefore, important since it is used in transport planning, land use and geography. In research, the effects and impacts of accessibility of a new mode of transport is shown through the social and economic effects of the new infrastructure.

Therefore, High Speed Rail as a mode of transport and a form of infrastructure has both social and economic effects. For instance, China’s High-Speed rail network (HSR) is a national accessibility system that has had complex impacts on the social and economic livelihood of the people of China. In accessibility analysis, it is important in determining the effects of a HSR network and can be done through many ways. However, one key method in which it can be done is through location-based measure (Cao et al 14).

Location-based measure is an approach in which three common indicators are used and they include potential accessibility, contour measure or daily or integral accessibility, and weighted average travel time or location indicator. Previous researchers in European cities have applied accessibility measure in evaluation of HSR effects. For example, in the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Korea among other countries, potential accessibility indicators were used to determine the cities that benefited, as well as, lost directly and indirectly with respect to a new HSR line (Cao et al 19).

In Korea, an accessibility analysis was carried out in the Seoul metropolitan area. It is, therefore, clear that accessibility measures are widely used tools in assessing the impact of rail systems. China’s HSR network has three main parts and they include the national HSR grid, new or upgraded railways, and regional intercity HSR lines. The national HSR grid has eight corridors; four running on a north-south direction, and four running on a east-west direction that are specifically known as Passenger Dedicated lines because they are only delegate for passage travel.

More railways are currently under construction; their completion is expected by the years 2015 and 2020 (Cao et al 15). However, this poses a risk to the other major long distance means of transport in China, such as air travel. Most people prefer travelling via railway as compared to airways. For instance, from 2010, more passengers in China were carried on HSR, reducing the number of people travelling via air transport. In accessibility evaluation Arc Info, a GIS platform, is used in accessibility calculation, as well as, data management and visualization (Cao et al 20).

This platform also contains all data on convention rail network, airlines and High-Speed Rail network. It applies population, Growth Domestic Product, and travel time as variables in calculations and network modeling. In addition to that, potential accessibility evaluates the perception of the travelers who use HSR, transportation elements and effects of land use. On the other hand, contour measurements applies the idea of fixed travel constraint, which considers the number of business opportunities in a given distance, travel time and cost.

These is done through checking the number of cities and business town reachable from a given point within a given time range; also known as daily accessible cities (Cao et al 12). Another method is contour travel which checks the population that can be reached from a fixed point within a specified time range; also known as daily accessible cities. As a result, the economic accessibility impact can be determined and evaluated. However, an overview of the article “Accessibility Impacts of China’s High-Speed Rail Network” by Cao et al is empirical.

It contains examples and information supported by facts. The mathematical and statistical formula given is applicable in the real world since they have been applied and accepted widely by the other countries in Europe and America. However, it dwells on the formulas and methods of determining and evaluating accessibility of the High-Speed Rail, rather than the actual impacts of the accessibility of China’s Network. By failing to explain the impacts, it overlooks the meaning of its title. To improve this article, the author should explain how the HSR affects the social and economic lives of the people; and support these using real examples.

Conclusion Based on the results from the location based accessibility, the central and eastern cities acquire more benefits from the HSR network. This is because of the little time of travel used from these areas to other cities, putting into consideration of their high population. On the other hand, the HSR connecting Beijing and Shanghai and in the Pearl River Delta region, the HSR increase the value of business due to the distribution of production. It is important to note that the high-speed rail is a long term economic stimulus project, which eventually increases the standards of living for the people of the country.

However, it affects air travel as a long distance means of transport, because it is cheaper. It is therefore important to include cost consideration as a form of evaluating accessibility of a mode of transport. Work cited Cao, Jing, Liu Xiaoyue,Wang Yinhai and Li Qiungquan. “Accessibility Impacts of China’s High-Speed Rail Network.” Journal of Transport Geography 28 (2013): 12-21.