SDG11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
Proportion of the population with easy access to public transportation in China（2019）
Scale: National
Study area: China
Public transportation is an essential lifeline for citizens that guarantees movement of people and goods and contributes to the economic productivity of urban centers and ensures proper functioning of the city. It plays an important role in promoting the development of various industries, the prosperity of economic and cultural activities, and contact between urban and rural areas. A good urban public transportation system is synonymous with economic growth and quality of life in many cities. Moreover, public transportation is a key factor for achieving most SDGs, especially those related to education, food security, health, energy, infrastructure, and the environment. However, it is difficult to acquire information and quantify public transportation networks within the complex urban space. Big Earth Data provides a viable solution to the challenges of acquiring and processing the information gathered from complex environments.
Target 11.2: By 2030, provide safe, affordable, accessible, and sustainable transportation systems for all, improve road safety, especially to expand public transportation. Special attention should be paid to the needs of vulnerable people, women, children, the disabled and the elderly.
Indicator 11.2.1: Proportion of the population with easy access to public transportation, classified by age, sex, and disability.
Method
The SDG 11.2.1 indicator method extracts public transport (transit, subway) station data based on the national public transportation network vector map. This method involves the creation of 500 m buffers, which are then overlapped with high spatiotemporal resolution population products to calculate the proportion of the population covered by the buffer in the kilometer grid. Finally, the proportion of the population that has easy access to public transportation within the urban built-up area is calculated based on spatial data.
Data used in this case
National public transportation network vector map (2015).
National 100-meter resolution land use data.
National 1-kilometer resolution population distribution product.
Results and analysis
The population coverage within 500 m of public transportation stations in the following provinces (excluding Taiwan province) was analyzed using public transport station and population kilometer grid products for prefecture-level cities across the country. Overall, the proportion of the population with convenient access to public transportation at the provincial level was 64.28% on average. Moreover, the proportions in eastern provinces were generally higher than those in the central and western provinces. The proportions in the southern provinces were also generally higher than in the northern provinces. Macao, Shanghai, and Hong Kong reached 100%, and the 500 m buffer for traffic stations covered the entire population in the built-up area. Beijing, Tianjin, Zhejiang, Fujian, Sichuan, Jiangsu, Guangdong, Chongqing, Liaoning, Guangxi, Hunan, Anhui, Shaanxi, Qinghai, Jiangxi, and Guizhou featured higher percentages compared to the national average. There were 14 provinces that featured percentages below the national average: Shandong, Hebei, Hainan, Hubei, Shanxi, Jilin, Heilongjiang, Henan, Ningxia, Yunnan, Gansu, Tibet, Xinjiang, and Inner Mongolia.
Figure 1. Proportion of the population with easy access to public transportation in each province (data for Taiwan Province is missing).
Figure 2. Proportion of the population in prefecture-level cities with easy access to public transportation (data for Taiwan province is missing).
At the prefecture-level city scale, the number of people that have easy access to public transportation in densely populated cities is generally higher than in sparsely populated cities. Furthermore, the population in provincial capitals with access to transportation is generally higher than other non-provincial capitals. In some northwestern cities, the number of people with easy access to public transportation is relatively high due to the high urban population density and their distribution along urban roads.
| Highlights |
| The proportion of the population with convenient access to public transportation at the provincial level was 64.28% on average. This proportion was observed to be generally higher in eastern provinces compared to the central and western provinces. Moreover, the southern provinces generally had a greater degree of transportation access compared to the northern provinces. At the prefecture-level city scale, the proportion of the population having easy access to public transportation in densely populated cities was generally higher than in sparsely populated cities. Moreover, the number of people with transportation access was generally greater in provincial capitals in comparison to other non-provincial capitals. |
Outlook
The calculation method adopted by this indicator is simple, and navigation and land use data are easy to obtain. This type of analysis allows for other countries to follow and monitor the indicator, which can be used for global comparison.
The bus line network vector dataset can be dynamically updated as needed. The land use products are updated every 3 to 5 years, which meets the requirements for future high spatiotemporal resolution evaluation.
The population data used herein is not yet available for classification by age, sex, and disability. The next step is to develop a spatial population dataset for different groups using big data gathered from mobile phone platforms and Internet sources. This is necessary to provide improved support for indicator monitoring and evaluation.