Why current data is essential for accessibility analysis
Relying on outdated data can lead to transport solutions that no longer meet current needs
Transport networks are always changing. Whether it’s a new bus route, cuts to services, new stations or a new housing development shifting demand. For those carrying out accessibility analysis, outdated data can lead to key changes being missed.
To show the impact of these changes over time, we used TRACC to analyse the connectivity to key destinations in Essex for 2024 and 2025. This analysis highlights just how much accessibility can change and why using the latest data is essential.
Destination Comparison
This analysis compared the public transport and key destinations in Q4 2024 to Q4 2025, which helped to see the impact of changes to bus routes, a new train station and new key destinations (Hospitals, Local Healthcare, Schools and Supermarkets).
Connectivity Score Inputs
Using TRACC we analysed the travel time from each output area (OA) in Essex to the key destinations and from which it calculated a connectivity score from 0 to 100 to reflect the ease of reaching these key destinations by public transport. This connectivity score is based on different saturation limits, weightings and time catchments for each mode. This allows it to take into account the different behaviours for different destination types. For a public transport journey to be considered viable it was required to be available at least once per hour to ensure that the results reflected reliable, usable options.
The Results
It goes to show just how much of a difference a year can make:
- 74% of Output Areas improved their connectivity score
- 65% improved by more than 5 points
- The opening on Beaulieu Rail Station led to local connectivity increasing from 26 to 71
- The largest decreases were seen where bus services fell below the hourly service criteria
To get a clearer idea of which areas changed the most, we aggregated the OA-level data to the parish level. This highlighted several parishes where connectivity changed significantly.
Little Canfield Example
Little Canfield’s connectivity score increased by 79 due to a 75% increase in the number of bus services, leading to improved connections to the surrounding area. Meanwhile, Abberton and Langenhoe decreased by 66 and 56 respectively due to route 86 being replaced by Route 55 which does not run a service between 16:00 and 17:00, resulting in the number of services dropping below once per hour. This highlights how even small changes in service can result in major impacts on accessibility.
This analysis shows how crucial using the latest data can be in order to ensure that your analysis accurate reflects what is currently happening. Using outdated data can misrepresent the current accessibility and lead to incorrect investment and planning decisions. With tools like TRACC, you can use the latest data and make informed decisions based on how people travel today, not last year. And when combined with DataCutter you can easily get the latest data within a few clicks.