Evaluation of China’s High-Speed Rail Station Development and Nearby Human Activity Based on Nighttime Light Images

Abstract

High-speed rail (HSR) represents China’s advancing productivity; however, quite a few HSR stations face problems due to inappropriate planning and limited passenger flow. To optimize future planning on HSR lines and stations and facilitate efficient operation, we used brightness as a representative of station development and nearby human activity, analyzing its spatial and temporal distribution, classification categories, and influencing factors of 980 stations using nighttime light images from 2012 to 2019. The following conclusions were drawn: (1) There are 41 stations with high brightness between 80 and 320 nW·cm−2·sr−1, which are concentrated in provincial capitals, large cities, and at line ends. The overall number of these stations increases by 57% in the past eight years. (2) Stations with high brightness but minimal changes that opened in 2013–2019 are mainly concentrated in provincial capitals and large- or medium-sized cities, and those with high brightness and significant changes are mostly new stations nearby. More than 70% of stations that started HSR operation before or in 2012 have high brightness. (3) Brightness positively correlates with the number of daily trains, and it changes faster at stations with more daily trains. It changes most within 0–1 year after HSR operation opening and exhibits a relatively slow but long-term increase over the next 2–6 years.

Evaluation of Sustainable Development Potential of High-Speed Railway Station Areas Based on “Node-Place-Industry” Model

“…With the popularity of big data and new technologies, some scholars have used nighttime lighting data to analyze the development potential of HSR station areas. For example, Du et al analyzed the spatial and temporal distribution of brightness in 980 HSR stations in China based on nighttime lighting data and classified the stations into four categories based on their brightness and relative brightness during HSR operations [42]. Point of interest (POI) data are also widely used to assess the potential of the HSR station area [43], and post-use assessment data, such as public review data, is also used to assess the spatial vitality of the HSR station area [44].…”

Does Physio-environmental Determinism Influence the Infrastructural Development of Railway Stations?

“…Du et al (2021), analyse the spatial and temporal distribution, classification categories, and influencing factors of 980 railway stations of China from 2012 to 2019. The study aimed to improve future planning on railway lines and stations and facilitate efficient operation.…”

“…The deterministic school of thought consistently ponders on the processes of physio-environmental forces over developmental activities. In the last couple of years, several studies have emphasised environmental determination on railway transportation (Ciotlaus et al 2017; Daniels and Mulley 2012; Kvashuk and Smyshlyaev 2017; Li et al 2011; Liu, Su and Wu 2018; Visockienė, 2006). The evolution of transport systems has led to different situations worldwide, depending on different strategies related to economic development, geographical limitations and cultural, political and social aspects (Noussan, Hafner and Tagliapietra 2020).…”