What is a main difference between accessibility and mobility in urban contexts?

Accessibility is fundamentally concerned with how easily individuals can reach their destinations, which encompasses the availability and quality of various means of transportation as well as the proximity to services, job opportunities, and amenities. It emphasizes the outcome of transportation: whether people can easily access what they need in their daily lives.

On the other hand, mobility refers to the ability to move from one place to another. This term encompasses the modes of transport available (such as walking, cycling, driving, or using public transit) and their effectiveness in facilitating movement within an urban environment. Therefore, mobility is more focused on the physical movement aspect and the infrastructure that supports it, while accessibility is about the end result of that movement and how it affects people’s ability to reach necessary and desired destinations.

This distinction is crucial for urban planning, as improving accessibility can often be more important than solely enhancing mobility. For example, providing better access to shopping centers or healthcare services can significantly affect the quality of life for residents in a city, regardless of how quickly they can travel.