The Rediscovery of Accessibility and Economic Potential: The Critical Issue of Self-Potential

Abstract

Economic potential measures of accessibility seem to have been rediscovered in the research literature recently, as well as in research that informs policy formulation. These new applications are using more and more sophisticated sources of data but are in large measure still operationalising the familiar concepts of market potential. Such potential is calculated for any zone by summing the representative economic mass of all other zones in the system each divided by some measure of the intervening travel impedance between that zone and every other zone. In this straightforward calculation it becomes necessary to incorporate the economic mass of the zone under consideration itself and to decide on the appropriate travel impedance. This apparently simple task is the focus of this paper. Most research of this type uses a weighting of the radius of the circle equalling the area of the zone in question to approximate the travel impedance. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that the choice of weighting is important in determining the nature of the resultant potential surface.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Anderson

T R

, 1956, “Potential models and the spatial distribution of population” Papers of the Regional Science Association 2 175–182

Bonsall

, 1975, “Approaches to the prediction of intra-zonal interactions”, WP-65, Institute for Transport Studies, University of Leeds, Leeds

Court

, 1966, “Population distributions and self-potential”, mimeograph, Department of Geography, San Fernando State College, San Fernando, CA

DTI, 1993, “Regional policy review of the assisted areas of Great Britain. Background document on the new assisted areas map”, Department of Trade and Industry, 1–19 Victoria Street, London SW1

DoT, 1989, “Values of time and vehicle operating costs for use in economic appraisal”, Highways Economic Note 2, Department of Transport, 2 Marsham Street, London SW1P 3EB

DoT, 1992a, “Vehicle speeds in Great Britain”, Department of Transport, 2 Marsham Street, London SW1P 3EB

DoT, 1992b London Traffic Monitoring Report 1992 Department of Transport (HMSO, London)

Houston

, 1969, “Market potential and potential transportation costs: An evaluation of the concepts and their surface patterns in the USSR” Canadian Geographer 13 216–236

Keeble

Owens

P L

Thompson

, 1982, “Regional accessibility and economic potential in the European Community” Regional Studies 16 419–432

10.

Keeble

Offord

Walker

, 1988 Peripheral Regions in a Community of Twelve Member States (Office of Official Publications, European Commission, Luxembourg)

11.

Kendall

M G

Moran

P A P

, 1963 Griffin's Statistical Monographs 10. Geometrical Probability (Griffin, London)

12.

King

L J

, 1969 Statistical Analysis in Geography (Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ)

13.

Linneker

B J

Spence

N A

, 1992a, “An accessibility analysis of the impact of the M25 London Orbital Motorway on Britain” Regional Studies 26 31–47

14.

Linneker

B J

Spence

N A

, 1992b, “Accessibility measures compared in an analysis of the impact of the M25 London Orbital Motorway on Britain” Environment and Planning A 24 1137–1154

15.

Newman

Vickerman

, 1993, “Infrastructure indicators and regional development: Redefining economic potential”, paper presented to the British Section of the Regional Science Association Conference, Nottingham, 1–3 September; copy available from Department of Economics, University of Kent at Canterbury, Canterbury CT2 7NS

16.

Nichols

A J

, 1975, “Standard generalised cost parameters for modelling interurban traffic and evaluating interurban road schemes”, Note 255, Mathematical Advisory Unit, Department of the Environment, 2 Marsham Street, London SW1

17.

Owen

D W

Coombes

M G

, 1983, “An index of peripherality for local areas in the United Kingdom”, RP6, Economics and Statistics Unit, Scottish Economic Planning Department, Meridian Court, 5 Cadogan Street, Glasgow G2 6AT

18.

Ray

D M

, 1965, “Market potential and economic shadow”, RP101, Department of Geography, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL

19.

Rich

D C

, 1978, “Population potential, potential transportation cost and industrial location” Area 10 222–226

20.

Rich

D C

, 1980a Potential Models in Human Geography. Concepts and Techniques in Modern Geography (Geo-Abstracts, Norwich)

21.

Rich

D C

, 1980b, “Locational disadvantage and the regional problem: Manufacturing industry in Scotland 1961–1971” Regional Studies 14 399–417

22.

SIA, 1992, “Routefinder 2 user documentation”, Service in Information and Analysis, Ebury Gate, 23 Lower Belgrave Street, London, SW1

23.

Spence

N A

Linneker

B J

, 1993, “Evolution of the motorway infrastructure network and changing levels of accessibility in Britain”, paper presented to the British Section of the Regional Science Association Conference, Nottingham, 1–3 September; copy available from Department of Geography, London School of Economics, Houghton Street, London WC2A 2AE

24.

Stewart

J Q

, 1947, “Empirical mathematical rules concerning the distribution and equilibrium of population” Geographical Review 37 461–485