Expanding a network of public facilities with some fixed supply points

Conclusions In general terms, this paper has demonstrated how the expansion of public facilities can be phased and implemented within the framework of certain policy objectives. Given an existing network of hospitals, for instance, it is possible to plan and implement the provision of additional facilities in a manner that enhances the spatial efficiency of the expanded network. The expansion can be executed in such a way that with the addition of each new facility, not only is aggregate travel minimized, but also a specified proportion of the population can be brought within easy reach of hospital services. This method is a particularly useful one because in planning the location of facilities, authorities hardly ever start off with a clean slate. Usually some facilities of the same kind might already be occupying some locations which may or may not be optimal. But whether or not the already existing network is optimal, the overall efficiency of the expanded network can be enhanced by proceeding in the manner outlined above.This method can be applied to a wide range of public facilities, like schools for instance. But its application depends, among other things, on the clear definition of locational and policy objectives. Different objectives could produce different locational patterns. Even variations in the measures of distance used can produce different locational patterns.