Social impact assessment: the case of bus rapid transit in the city of Quito, Ecuador

This chapter assesses equity in the provision of public transport supply and presents a high-level strategic analysis for policymakers. The core of the methodology is a comparison of the need for public transport with the supply of public transport. The balance between need and supply is captured by an index of public transport deprivation (disparity index). This index represents an equity standard: where the disparity between need and supply is large it suggests an inequitable situation for some or all of the residents of an area.

The methodology allows the identification of (unintended) equity consequences from new transport projects. It provides a measure which is easy to calculate. Results can be readily mapped, thus aiding the interpretation of results and helping policymakers address such questions as: Which percentage of the population is not adequately served? Where are they located? The data requirements are kept to a minimum so that the methodology can be applied broadly in the Global South where access to data can be scarcer.

The methodology is applied to the case study of Quito, Ecuador. Firstly, the index of unsatisfied basic needs (the need index) is used as a proxy for public transport need. Secondly, a transport supply index was calculated with variables including the number of stops, frequency of services, but also modes and capacities are taken into account. By confronting the need and supply indices, it is possible to identify areas likely to suffer from transport inequity due to a shortage of public transport facilities.