The impact of a new public transport system on neighbourhoods surrounding stations: The cases of Bermondsey and West Ham with the Jubilee Line extension in London

Abstract

[EN] The impact of new public transport systems on towns and suburbs has been widely considered to be a significant aspect of urban development. However, spatial configurations which could stimulate transformation around neighbourhood of stations have not been clearly identified. It could be argued that the implementation of transport systems and the creation of new stations would enhance capacity of transport network and accessibility around vicinity of stations. Furthermore, the dynamics of pedestrian flow, generated by new public transport systems, might encourage socio-economic activities around stations. Therefore, the aims of this study are to verify the impact of urban morphology on station neighbourhoods and identify whether stations are embedded in the best location for optimising urban redevelopment. This paper analyses the surroundings of two stations – Bermondsey and West Ham – along the Jubilee Line Extension in London using Space Syntax measures. A spatial analysis with demographic and land use data reveals that the location of stations within urban layout would be the determinant in optimising socio-economic development in the neighbourhoods. It also suggests that Space Syntax could be an effective analytical methodology to understand the relationship between transport system and urban morphology