City planning and GIS: A data-driven approach to inclusion on the Liverpool city ‘Merseyrail’ rail network

Keywords: GIS, planning, data, infrastructure, inequality, quantitive, sustainable
Session Type: Virtual Paper Abstract
Day: Tuesday
Session Start / End Time: 3/1/2022 08:00 AM (Eastern Time (US & Canada)) - 3/1/2022 09:20 AM (Eastern Time (US & Canada))
Room: Virtual 21

Abstract

A data-driven approach to policy making can overcome the inequalities that exist in current transport networks. The research focuses on urban rail, which can provide a population with a readily available mode of transport and the opportunity to overcome spatial boundaries. However, the implementation of this infrastructure often prioritises economic performance ahead of social inclusion and facilitates the allocation of resources and ideas towards the city centre.

In this paper, the research provides a discussion of the inner-urban rail network of the city of Liverpool, UK. Liverpool is a city built on its maritime capabilities with transport systems dating back to the mid-19C. This laid the basis for the contemporary ‘Merseyrail’ network, but in the early 21C, Liverpool has faced challenges on how the city can develop long-term equitable and inclusive growth, including how best to integrate the unique rail infrastructure with wider residential, commercial, and leisure spaces.

Using quantitative data, including the three most recent National Census and Deprivation datasets for England, the paper provides a statistical and spatial analysis to examine travel patterns, social and cultural demographics, and economic participation across Liverpool. The research operates through a multi-scalar approach, and performs a Network Analysis using the ArcGIS Network Dataset to explore mobility patterns and identify how the power of accessibility shapes an individual’s social and economic participation. Through this approach, the paper argues for the role of geoanalytics in future policy making by promoting the use of GIS-based methods in socially oriented and sustainable city planning in Liverpool.