Social Impact and Hard-To-Reach Groups

This chapter discusses the importance of conducting social impact assessments (SIAs) prior to, during and after the implementation of mobility measures. All transport measures have a direct impact on transport users, but they can also have an indirect impact on users, non-users, and those living further away from the proposed measure. These consequences should be considered as part of the wider cost–benefit/lifecycle of the planned measures. A key aspect of design and implementation of mobility measures is to consider the direct and indirect effects on citizens, in particular vulnerable groups, those who have difficulty accessing transport through lack of finances, poor mobility, ageing or those with dependents/looking after children, or because their needs are not met through current transport provision and are consequently excluded from the opportunities provided by city life. The steps taken to mitigate these effects should feed into planning new transport measures, at all stages from pre-planning through to post-evaluation. This chapter explains the importance of SIA, discusses methodologies, provides a set of factors to be considered in conducting SIAs and provides an overview of groups most vulnerable to negative social impacts, with some suggestions for improving practise.