Service connections of the Katowice conurbation cities

Abstract

The study attempts to determine the service connections of the cities of the Katowice conurbation. The analysis was based on surveys conducted among 845 residents representing all cities in the conurbation, who were asked about using services in other cities. The collected material allowed the author to state that the practice of using services outside their place of residence, in other cities, is quite common, as 63% of respondents do so. The cities of the conurbation have a different impact on other centres, which allowed us to determine the service hierarchy of the conurbation cities. In all but one city, the inhabitants most often indicated that they used services located in Katowice, thus as the only city used this has an impact covering the entire Katowice conurbation. Seven other cities (Bytom, Chorzów, Dąbrowa Górnicza, Gliwice, Sosnowiec, Tychy and Zabrze) demonstrate sub-conurbation influences, which are mainly limited to neighbouring cities. The impact of cities within a mini-conurbation (4 cities) and a micro-conurbation (5 cities) were also identified. These have a limited impact on neighbouring centres, but, only in selected service areas. The collected information indicates that the inhabitants of the conurbation most often go to another city for commercial and cultural purposes and in connection with practising sports and recreation.