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

• Published in: Journal of transport and land use 2015-01, Vol.8 (3), p.95-114
• Main Authors: van Dijk, Justin, Krygsman, Stephan, de Jong, Tom
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: accessibility; Commuters; Geodetic position; Geographic regions; GIS; Motor vehicle traffic; Public transportation; Roads; South Africa; spatial equity; toll road; Toll roads; Tolls; Transportation policy; Travel time
• ISSN: 1938-7849; 1938-7849
• DOI: 10.5198/jtlu.2015.555

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.