Accessibility analysis and spatial competition effects in the context of GIS-supported service location planning
In this article we discuss different methods to construct an accessibility surface as a tool for facility location planning with special reference to shops. The methods are based on estimates of the market area for a new shop; the main difference between the methods is that the first one (proximity count in competition) assumes deterministic, strictly bounded market areas whereas the other methods (gravity surface and pressure map) assume non-deterministic, fuzzy market areas. These methods can be used to estimate the market area for a single, new facility. We show that two of these methods (the proximity count in competition and the pressure map) can be adapted to estimate the total market area of a chain after locating one new facility for that chain. In the conclusions, we discuss the applicability of the methods in different planning contexts.
accessibility spatial competition market area facility siting geographic information systems gis spatial interaction model