Masters Thesis Abstract: Edward Wright
The influence of Land Use Patterns and Socio Demographic Distribution on Public Transport use in Christchurch, New Zealand
Public Transport patronage in Christchurch has been growing for a number of years. While a wealth of information has been collected about the characteristics of the passengers using Public Transport, no research has been conducted that looks at how the use of these services is influenced by spatial patterns. Such research would allow for services to be better tailored to meet the needs of people who might not otherwise use Public Transport, to ensure that patronage levels continue to rise.
My MSc Thesis will focus on how socio demographic distribution and land use patterns influence whether people use Public Transport. The primary method of research will be through GIS analysis. Address data of MetroCard users will be correlated with Census meshblocks, and the proximity of these meshblocks to Bus routes will be analysed. Housing density and socio demographic data will then be integrated into these results, so that the influence of these factors can also be examined. This will be supplemented by ‘on the ground’ qualitative research, which will allow for particular areas of interest identified in the primary research to be investigated further.