Public transport plays an important role in a city’s economy and its social equity. It is
also instrumental in reducing automobile dependence and traffic congestion. Several
factors must come together to achieve well-functioning public transport systems. One
major factor is the level of accessibility offered by the public transport system. To better
understand and consequentially enhance accessibility, we must be able to measure it and
map it, which is the key aim of this paper.
The methodology in this study, which was originally developed by the London Borough of
Hammersmith and Fulham and later adopted by Transport for London (TfL) has been
adapted to the case study city of Ahmedabad, India. A GIS mapping tool was used to
generate a visual representation of public transport accessibility levels (PTAL) taking into
account average walk speed and time, distances to public transport stops, and peak-hour
route frequencies of different public transport modes. The paper concludes with initiation
of a discussion on the potential uses of PTAL mapping to enhance planning practice,
such as formulating development/master plans with land use–transport integration,
prioritizing public transport and supporting investments, formulating parking policies,
and developing transit-oriented zoning regulations.