Access and Accessibility Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Access and Accessibility - Literature review Example The obvious aspect, therefore, is that accessibility is linked with numerous socio-economic opportunities and hindrances. Accessibility refers to the measure of the ability of a location to be reached by different people around it, or to reach different locations. It is, thus apparent that the scope and arrangement of all transport infrastructures are essential in determining accessibility to green spaces in urban areas (Comber et al 2011, p. 30). Access, on the other hand, refers to the capacity to go into or leave a green space. Access is, hence an absolute determinant of whether a location can be entered or exited. This paper appreciates both the concepts of access and accessibility and looks into the intricacies of both geographical elements with regard to green spaces in urban areas (Van 2007, p. 18). This is bound to provide an in-depth understanding of the green spaces in towns and cities, offering leeway for determining accessibility and access of green spaces in major towns (Van Herzele 2003, p. 120) As noted, access and accessibility are quite distinct. While accessibility varies according to one’s position, access is a relative concept, which is equal for all persons in an area. For instance, an areas of green space can be accessible by any person, be it by persons of high socio-economic status, low status, persons with disabilities, or fully-able bodied persons. Access to urban green space is, therefore, uniform wherever one is situated in the vicinity of the green space, provided that there is a capacity to enter or exit the green space (Heywood, Carver and Cornelius 2006, p. 96). When assessing the viability of the green spaces in urban areas, two important concepts must be considered. These are distance and time. These two factors typically affect accessibility in different capacities. Firstly, distance between the green space and a person’s location is bound to affect one’s ability to reach the green space and the time it takes to arrive at the green s pace (Handy and Niemeier 1997, p. 1183). In addition, time is relative in terms of the duration it takes for a green space to develop fully after its establishment. Time is relative because different locations within an urban area have distinct speed limits, which affect the time taken to travel through these locations. Distance does not change, but is it a contributor to the overall speed used to reach a specific green space. Because not all locations within an urban area are equally accessible, this implies inequality. The concept of accessibility, therefore, relies on two paramount factors that is the location and distance. Analyzing distance and location of the green space is a key aspect of GIS analysis (Kong, Yin, and Nakagoshi 2007 , p. 249). Firstly, location measures accessibility with regard to other green spaces in the areas and around the urban area. Infrastructure supports movement to and from green spaces. This implies that accessibility of green spaces is relatively p roportional to a