Urban services, pedestrian networks and behaviors to measure elderly accessibility

Relationships between the organisation of the pedestrian network and the location and distribution of activities represent an important element in improving accessibility to urban services of interest to the elderly. This paper proposes a methodology aimed at defining a new measure of pedestrian accessibility for elderly. We first identify characteristics of the pedestrian network and built environment that may impact upon accessibility to elderly, and weight each feature using an AHP analysis. Walking behaviours are considered in terms of walking speed and travel times for elderly. Accessibility levels are derived referring to the system defined by the relationship between the characteristics of the pedestrian network, the offer of urban services and behaviors of elderly. This methodology has been tested in the urban contexts of Naples and Aberdeen. The results provide useful suggestions to decision makers in prioritising interventions to be implemented at the neighbourhood scale to improve the accessibility to urban services.