A comparative analysis of leisure accessibility and equity impacts using location-based and space-time accessibility metrics

This paper assesses inequalities in accessibility to non-mandatory activities (leisure and parks) using location-based and space-time accessibility measures. Most studies use location-based accessibility metrics, focus on mandatory activities (such as work or study), and are on the Global North. We present a comparative study with three location-based and two space-time accessibility metrics, which allows us to consider differences in time budgets and trip-chaining of individuals based on origin-destination mobility patterns data. The case study is a new monorail line in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The analysis revealed that, consistently across the accessibility and equity measures estimated, Line 15 contributes to increasing accessibility to leisure and parks in the districts neighboring the line, particularly for the lower-income groups. Furthermore, this paper clearly shows the relevance of the temporal dimension of accessibility. The case study illustrates that soft policies such as expanding the open hours of parks would result in higher gains in accessibility, especially for low-income groups. The methodology presented uses open data and open-source tools, thus contributing to an open-science perspective. In addition, the applied space-time accessibility measures enhanced the evaluation of inequalities, often underestimated by location-based measures.