nep-tre New Economics Papers
on Transport Economics
Issue of 2018‒07‒16
eight papers chosen by
Erik Teodoor Verhoef
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

  1. Five-Year Focus: Immediate actions to tackle congestion By Infrastructure Victoria
  2. How Large are Road Traffic Externalities in the City? The Highway Tunneling in Maastricht, the Netherlands By Joep Tijm; Thomas Michielsen; Raoul van Maarseveen; Peter Zwaneveld
  3. The Road Ahead: How an efficient, fair and sustainable pricing regime can help tackle congestion. By Infrastructure Victoria
  4. Die „Europäische Seidenstraße“ By Philipp Heimberger; Mario Holzner; Artem Kochnev
  5. Scheduling electric vehicles making milk-runs for just-in-time delivery By Emde, Simon; Abedinnia, Hamid; Glock, C. H.
  6. Improving evaluation for social housing: methods and data By Infrastructure Victoria
  7. On the location of reported and unreported cycling accidents: a spatial network analysis for Brussels By Grégory VANDENBULCKE; Luc INT PANIS; Isabelle THOMAS
  8. Trucks, Triangles and a Quiet Life: Welfare Implications of the European Trucks Cartel By Christian Beyer; Elke Kottmann; Korbinian von Blanckenburg

  1. By: Infrastructure Victoria
    Abstract: This paper outlines measures that can be implemented in the next five years to improve travel time and reliability on Melbourne's transport network and reduce the impacts of congestion. These measures include expanding off-peak fares on metropolitan public transport, overhauling Melbourne's bus network, expand and increase the car parking levy, improve transparency of fare-setting, better road-space allocation, maximising opportunities to encourage travel behaviour change during disruptions to the transport network, prioritise active transport in high-potential areas and improve road connectivity where private vehicle use works best. Creation Date: 2018-04-01
    Keywords: Congestion, Public Transport, Behavioural Economics, Active Transport, Parking Charges.
    JEL: D62 H42 R48
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:inv:ppaper:201801&r=tre
  2. By: Joep Tijm; Thomas Michielsen; Raoul van Maarseveen; Peter Zwaneveld
    Abstract: Infrastructure projects are increasingly aiming to improve liveability, in particular in urban areas. We analyse a specific case in which an existing highway in an urban area was moved underground in order to improve intercity traffic flows and to reduce traffic externalities. As travel times within the city hardly changed, this allows for a clean identification of the value of traffic externalities. We find that the liveability benefits of such integrated infrastructure are substantial relative to the construction costs. Each halving of distance to the tunneled segment is associated with 3.5% more appreciation in house prices since the start of the project.
    JEL: H40 R20 R40
    Date: 2018
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ces:ceswps:_7089&r=tre
  3. By: Infrastructure Victoria
    Abstract: This paper outlines the problems with current approach to transport pricing in Victoria and the benefits and limitations of introducing a new road pricing regime to reduce congestion and make the most efficient use of the road network. An evaluation framework for assessing the impact of road pricing models is proposed. We describe four possible road pricing models - area/cordon, corridor, partial and whole-of-network. Finally, we provide a preliminary discussion of key issues for designing an efficient, fair and sustainable pricing regime. The analysis focuses on road pricing regimes in Melbourne, Australia. Creation Date: 2016-11-03
    Keywords: Congestion, Road Pricing, Melbourne, Australia
    JEL: D62 H42 R48
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:inv:ppaper:201603&r=tre
  4. By: Philipp Heimberger (The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw); Mario Holzner (The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw); Artem Kochnev
    Abstract: This publication is available in German language only. For a brief English summary see further below. In dieser Studie argumentieren wir für einen „Big Push“ bei den Infrastrukturinvestitionen im größeren Europa. Wir schlagen den Bau einer „Europäischen Seidenstraße“ vor, welche die industriellen Zentren im Westen mit den bevölkerungsreichen, aber weniger entwickelten Gebieten im Osten des Kontinents verbinden und damit für mehr Wachstum und Beschäftigung sowohl kurz- als auch mittel- und langfristig sorgen soll. Im Vollausbau soll die „Europäische Seidenstraße“ auf dem Landweg rund 11.000 Kilometer auf einer Nordroute von Lissabon bis Uralsk an der russisch-kasachischen Grenze und auf einer Südroute von Mailand bis nach Wolgograd und Baku verlaufen. Kernstücke sind im Norden die Strecke von Lyon bis Moskau und im Süden von Mailand bis Konstanza. Die Südroute würde Mitteleuropa mit dem Schwarzmeerraum und den Anrainerstaaten des Kaspischen Meeres verbinden. Eine moderne Autobahn- und Hochgeschwindigkeitszugstrecke mit einer Reihe von Logistikzentren, See-, Fluss- und Flughäfen soll neue europäische Standards unter anderem in der E-Mobilität setzen. Der Vollausbau würde rund 1.000 Milliarden Euro oder rund 8% des Bruttoinlandsproduktes der auf den beiden Routen liegenden Länder ausmachen. Die Kosten relativ zur Wirtschaftsleistung der EU machen rund 7% aus. Über einen Investitionszeitraum von 10 Jahren könnte die „Europäische Seidenstraße“ entlang der Routen nach einer konservativen Schätzung zu einem Wirtschaftswachstum von durchschnittlich 3,5% und einem Anstieg der Beschäftigung von rund 2 Millionen führen. Unter günstigen Umständen und bei weiterhin anhaltenden niedrigen Zinsen kann mit einem Beschäftigungseffekt von über 7 Millionen im größeren Europa gerechnet werden. Alleine auf der Nordroute in den russischen Zentralraum könnte die verbesserte Infrastruktur der Kernstrecke bedeutende Zeitersparnisse von über 8% im Straßentransport bringen. Das wäre im Schnitt und beispielsweise auch ab Wien eine Ersparnis von rund 2,5 Stunden. Damit könnten die Länder entlang der Nordroute ihre Exporte nach Russland um über 11% steigern. Dies würde zusätzliche Exporte von über 12,5 Milliarden Euro bedeuten. Die österreichische Exportwirtschaft würde ganz besonders von diesen Infrastrukturmaßnahmen profitieren. Österreichs Russland-Exporte würden um über 14% ansteigen. Das sind rund 330 Millionen Euro. Die Baumaßnahmen bringen Österreich 34.000 Arbeitsplätze. Unter günstigen Umständen könnten bis zu 121.000 neue Jobs in Österreich geschaffen werden. English Summary A ‘European Silk Road’ The study concludes that Europe should respond to China’s New Silk Road initiative with a coherent infrastructure network and transport strategy of its own to leverage its economic potential. It should not rely on China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to achieve this, but invest itself to ensure that it suits European priorities. Nevertheless, a ‘European Silk Road’ can be seen as complementary to China’s efforts. The study finds that the development of a European Silk Road could create 2-7 million new jobs and could increase GDP on average by 3.5% in Wider Europe over a ten-year period. Eastern Europe in particular needs an upgrading of its transport infrastructure. If this is achieved, the boost to incomes and living standards would be particularly significant in that part of the continent, as a ‘big push’ in transport infrastructure investment has the potential to industrialise broad sectors of the economy.
    Keywords: Infrastruktur, Transport, Europa, China, Seidenstraße, Wachstum, Industrialisierung, Internationaler Handel, infrastructure, transport, Europe, China, Silk Road, growth, industrialisation, international trade
    JEL: H54 O18 R41 R42 L92
    Date: 2018–07
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wii:ratpap:rpg:11&r=tre
  5. By: Emde, Simon; Abedinnia, Hamid; Glock, C. H.
    Date: 2018
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:dar:wpaper:105768&r=tre
  6. By: Infrastructure Victoria
    Abstract: This paper highlights several important issues that if addressed could improve the methodology around cost-benefit analysis and social return on investment as used in the affordable and social housing sector. First, by focussing on the causal impacts of policies and programs rather than just outcomes. The econometrics of program evaluation provides a way to do this but hasn't been broadly applied in this sector. Second, there needs to be greater attention to cohort-specific impacts. Thirdly, collection of larger quantities of cohort specific data, where possible, linked would assist in identifying cohort specific impacts. We also review recent work done at Infrastructure Victoria applying this approach to estimating the impacts of social housing on employment, education, health, incarceration and homelessness. Creation Date: 2018-05-01
    Keywords: Cost-Benefit Analysis, Program Evaluation, Treatment Effects, Social Housing, Homelessness, Australia, Victoria.
    JEL: C21 D61 H42 H54 H75 I38
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:inv:ppaper:201802&r=tre
  7. By: Grégory VANDENBULCKE; Luc INT PANIS; Isabelle THOMAS
    Date: 2017–01–01
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cor:louvrp:2857&r=tre
  8. By: Christian Beyer (Ostwestfalen-Lippe University of Applied Sciences); Elke Kottmann (Ostwestfalen-Lippe University of Applied Sciences); Korbinian von Blanckenburg (Ostwestfalen-Lippe University of Applied Sciences)
    Abstract: We present a pragmatic approach to calculating the total economic loss induced by a cartel, focusing on the European trucks cartel (1997-2011). Overall, we estimate a net welfare loss of approximately €0.7 bn. and an overcharge below 1% (€1.8 bn.). The cartel overcharge is surprisingly low. We explain this by (1) the existence of a reference market with an already elevated price level and (2) by other industry-specific factors that encourage cartel arrangements. In the case of the trucks cartel, the companies involved have apparently preferred the Hicksian "quiet life" of the monopolist to a further maximization of profits.
    Keywords: Cartel, Welfare, Efficiency, Overcharge, Trucks
    JEL: D43 D61 L62
    Date: 2018
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:mar:magkse:201818&r=tre

This nep-tre issue is ©2018 by Erik Teodoor Verhoef. It is provided as is without any express or implied warranty. It may be freely redistributed in whole or in part for any purpose. If distributed in part, please include this notice.
General information on the NEP project can be found at http://nep.repec.org. For comments please write to the director of NEP, Marco Novarese at <director@nep.repec.org>. Put “NEP” in the subject, otherwise your mail may be rejected.
NEP’s infrastructure is sponsored by the School of Economics and Finance of Massey University in New Zealand.