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Has HSR improved territorial cohesion in Spain? An accessibility analysis of the first 25 years: 1990–2015

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  • Andres Monzon
  • Elena Lopez
  • Emilio Ortega

Abstract

High Speed Rail (HSR) in Spain began in 1992 and currently has a network of some 3200 km. In this 25-year period, accessibility has progressively increased, changing its spatial distribution throughout the country. However, improvements in the HSR network may or may not have contributed to a more balanced territorial distribution of accessibility levels. These distributional effects of HSR have important implications for territorial cohesion, which is a strategic planning goal for transport infrastructures in the European Union. This paper presents a methodology for evaluating ‘accessibility-based’ territorial cohesion effects of HSR corridors. Accessibility values are calculated for successive five-year periods. Territorial cohesion effects are assessed based on changes in accessibility patterns and their spatial distribution. The results show that new HSR lines have significantly increased the accessibility levels of the Spanish population to most destinations. On average accessibility values have improved in the 1990–2015 period by 48.6% due to HSR, with differences among locations depending if they are or not nodes of the HSR network. The study’s findings show also a more balanced distribution of accessibility, with 15% reduction in the dispersion of accessibility values between 1990 and 2015, implying a positive contribution to territorial cohesion goals.

Suggested Citation

  • Andres Monzon & Elena Lopez & Emilio Ortega, 2019. "Has HSR improved territorial cohesion in Spain? An accessibility analysis of the first 25 years: 1990–2015," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 27(3), pages 513-532, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:taf:eurpls:v:27:y:2019:i:3:p:513-532
    DOI: 10.1080/09654313.2018.1562656
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    Cited by:

    1. Gao, Deng & Li, Shicheng, 2022. "Spatiotemporal impact of railway network in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau on accessibility and economic linkages during 1984–2030," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 100(C).
    2. Henke, Ilaria & Moyano, Amparo & Pagliara, Francesca, 2023. "Influence of high-speed rail on the decentralisation of events from big metropolitan areas to smaller intermediate cities," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    3. Xiaodong Chen & Tian Wang & Xin Zheng & Fang Han & Zhaoping Yang, 2022. "The Structure and Evolution of the Tourism Economic Network of the Tibetan Plateau and Its Driving Factors," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-18, February.
    4. Matas, Anna & Raymond, Josep Lluis & Roig, José Luis, 2020. "Evaluating the impacts of HSR stations on the creation of firms," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 396-404.
    5. Zhang, Ailian & Pan, Mengmeng & Liu, Bai & Cao, Xianbin, 2023. "Do high-speed rail (HSR) station and airport affect local government debt risk? Evidence from China," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 41-51.
    6. Federico Pablo-Martí & Ángel Alañón-Pardo & Angel Sánchez, 2021. "Complex networks to understand the past: the case of roads in Bourbon Spain," Cliometrica, Springer;Cliometric Society (Association Francaise de Cliométrie), vol. 15(3), pages 477-534, September.
    7. de Freitas, Lucas Meyer & Blum, Salem, 2024. "An accessibility-based methodology to identify corridor speed upgrades in the European rail network," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 114(C).
    8. Jing Fan & Hironori Kato & Xinghua Liu & Ye Li & Changxi Ma & Liang Zhou & Mingzhang Liang, 2022. "High-Speed Railway Network Development, Inter-County Accessibility Improvements, and Regional Poverty Alleviation: Evidence from China," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-22, October.
    9. Huang, Yan & Zong, Huiming, 2020. "The spatial distribution and determinants of China’s high-speed train services," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 56-70.
    10. Martín, Belén & Ortega, Emilio & de Isidro, Ágata & Iglesias-Merchan, Carlos, 2021. "Improvements in high-speed rail network environmental evaluation and planning: An assessment of accessibility gains and landscape connectivity costs in Spain," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    11. Lee, Jae Kwang, 2021. "Transport infrastructure investment, accessibility change and firm productivity: Evidence from the Seoul region," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 96(C).
    12. Guojie Ma & Jinxing Hu & Riquan Zhang, 2023. "Spatial-Temporal Distribution and Coupling Relationship of High-Speed Railway and Economic Networks in Metropolitan Areas of China," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-23, June.

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