Using hexagonal grids and network analysis for spatial accessibility assessment in urban environments – a case study of public amenities in Toruń

Abstract Spatial accessibility is one of fundamental problems of geography, and transport geography in particular. It is one of the key factors affecting the ability to use certain services by the residents of a given area. Therefore, it is important to develop appropriate methods for the analysis of spatial accessibility. This paper describes a methodology for analyzing spatial accessibility in urban areas using a hexagonal grid combined with a network analysis. The proposed methodology is applied to the city of Toruń, Poland. Spatial distribution of accessibility to selected public amenities is analyzed and areas of high and low accessibility are identified. Finally, a prototype of a novel web-based system is proposed to allow citizens and city officials to perform custom analysis based on individual preferences.