Assessing the impacts of metro loop lines on transit accessibility and equity

Bibliographic Data

ID21450751
AuthorsDahu Lin (0009-0005-3713-0698, Hiroshima University), You Peng (0000-0002-3721-3216, National University of Singapore), Tao Feng (0009-0009-7262-1432, Hiroshima University, corresponding author)
Year2026
Volume192
Pages104030
Publication date2026-07-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueApplied Geography (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0143-6228 • E-ISSN: 1873-7730
PublisherElsevier BV (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1016/j.apgeog.2026.104030
OpenAlexW7160489691
LanguageEN
References cited76

Metro loop lines improve travel efficiency by connecting radial lines and improving the transport environment, but their impacts on accessibility and equity remain underexplored. This study examines these impacts by comparing changes in transit accessibility before and after the opening of metro loop lines in Guangzhou. Transit accessibility to destinations is measured using travel data from the Amap API and a gravity-based accessibility model. On this basis, transport equity is assessed by the Gini coefficient, the Palma ratio, and the bivariate local indicator of spatial autocorrelation (BiLISA). The analysis is conducted under five travel time thresholds to consider the boundary effect of the Modifiable Temporal Unit Problem (MTUP). Results show that loop lines improve accessibility, especially in peripheral regions, benefiting vulnerable groups and reducing social-spatial inequities. Accessibility gains exhibit sensitivity to travel time threshold selection, peaking between 45 and 75 min. Overall, the loop line is shown to be an equitable transit investment from the perspective of accessibility-based distributive justice

Equity (law) · Metropolitan area · Public transport · Rail transit · Transit (satellite) · Transit system · Underground infrastructure and sustainability · Urban Design and Spatial Analysis · Urban Transport and Accessibility