Browse by: "B"

Much research has focussed on the negative aspects of transport (emissions, noise, congestion and safety problems), particularly with respect to road traffic. The ECMT decided to organise a Round Table which would consider the transport sector differently, by looking at the benefits of different modes of transport for the general community. Round Table 93 considered different modes of transport and their respective contributions to economic growth, regional development, social relations and needs for mobility. Given its new analytical
framework, this Round Table stands out from other overly conventional approaches.

Efficient provision of transport infrastructure is critical to economic growth. The long asset lives of much transport infrastructure indicates governance through regulation, rather than through contract or public ownership. This can ensure predictability in long-term relationships whilst preserving some flexibility to deal with changes in external circumstances.

The transparency created by a fully independent regulator is invaluable for ensuring sufficient investment  is forthcoming, while maintaining reasonable conditions for user access. Discussion at the Roundtable focussed on how to achieve effective independent regulation and how to reconcile independence with the legitimate control of policy by the executive part of government.

Independent regulation is not seen as a universal default governance arrangement. Much of the discussion focused on when to regulate and when to rely on competition, even if imperfect, to drive efficiency. The discussions underscored that there are opportunities to improve performance significantly in the aviation, rail and road sectors, by learning from successful experience in improving governance structures in a range of countries.

Many governments seek to attract private finance for infrastructure through public-private partnerships (PPPs) in order to maintain investment at the same time as limiting public spending. Experience with PPPs has, however, been mixed. Some transport PPP projects have delivered major cost savings but many more have exceeded their budgets. PPPs are prone to overestimating revenues and when projects run into financial difficulty, risks have a tendency to revert to the
taxpayer.

The report examines the nature of risks and uncertainty associated with different types of PPP project and the practical consequences of transferring risks to private partners. It assesses the fiscal impact of PPPs and discusses budget procedures and accounting rules to limit the public liabilities they can create. The report also reviews the relative merits of tolls, availability payments and regulated asset base models for attracting finance for public infrastructure from private investors on a sustainable basis.

Biofuels received USD 15 billion in subsidies in OECD Member countries in 2007, but did they deliver benefits in terms of climate change or oil security? Present policies make no link between support for biofuels and their environmental performance, and biofuels do not all perform equally well. In fact, much of the current ethanol and biodiesel production may result in higher overall emissions of greenhouse gases than using conventional transport fuels - gasoline and diesel. The papers published in this report examine the economics of biofuels and assess the potential of conventional biofuel production in OECD countries, Brazilian ethanol exports and some second generation biofuels to supply world markets with transport fuels.

This Round Table analyses the critical issues for governments in determining support for biofuels, particularly the level of greenhouse gas emissions throughout the life-cycle of these fuels and the wider environmental impacts of farming biomass. It also reviews recent progress in developing certification systems for biofuels – an essential  tool for tying support  to achievement in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, although certification cannot be expected to prevent rainforest destruction for the  development of  biofuel crop plantations. The report concludes with a short list of recommendations for policy reform if support for biofuels is to contribute effectively to mitigating greenhouse gas emissions.

Cities around the world face enormous problems of transport sustainability. Rapidly increasing populations and vehicle usage have created gridlock and sprawl, even in very poor cities, as well as unacceptably high levels of air pollution, noise, and accident rates. But improvements can be made. This book explores how the provision of better bus services can bring concrete solutions. "Bus rapid transit" systems emerging in Latin America provide fast, reliable and efficient urban travel for large numbers of people. Express busways, employing high-capacity buses and new technologies such as GPS-based bus tracking systems, can conveniently and reliably move up to 10 times as many people along a route as can cars – and be profitable.

This book shows how bus rapid transit differs from traditional bus systems and how it can be developed around the world. There is a detailed look at clean fuels and advanced technologies such as "clean diesel", CNG, hybrid-electric and fuel cells. Case studies are made of six cities and of the steps each might take to encourage more sustainable transport systems.