The daily dynamic potential accessibility by car in London on Wednesdays

Abstract

The map presented in this paper shows the effect of congestion on daily accessibility in the London metropolitan area on Wednesdays. Because of its dynamic nature, it is challenging to both calculate the effects of this phenomenon and to represent it clearly on simple maps. Although we can use many traditional techniques for this purpose, they are usually static, and they may lose some essential information on the effects studied. In this paper, we used two cartographic techniques rarely used in accessibility studies – cartograms and 3D maps, which we believe can achieve a more striking representation in static and animations of both the traffic-induced spatial distortion and the accessibility levels obtained. The results are presented in two animated maps and some snapshots of them – static maps. Both types of maps reinforce each other: Together, they can properly show the direct space–time link between congestion and accessibility, and can, therefore, give a more detailed overview of the consequences of this phenomenon.