ABSTRACT

The Routledge Handbook of Transport Economics offers the first state of the art overview of the discipline of transport economics as it stands today, reflective of key research and policy. Transport is an important area of study and one which is problem rich, stimulating a great deal of debate in areas which impact on everyday lives. Much of this focuses on the practicalities of the modern-day phenomenon of mass movement and all of the issues which surround it. The discipline of economics is central to this debate, and consequently the study and application of transport economics has a chief role to play in seeking to address subjects relating to major transport issues. It can be argued that at the very heart of any transport issue or problem lies the underlying economics of the situation – understand that and you alleviate the problem. 

Featuring contributions from world-leading scholars and practitioners from across the globe, all of the chapters within this book are written from a practical perspective; theory is applied and developed using real-world examples. The book examines concepts, issues, ideas and practicalities of transport provision in five key topic areas:

  • public transport
  • public transport reform
  • economic development and transport modelling
  • transport and the environment
  • freight transport.

A real strength of the book is in linking theory to practice, and hence the ‘economics’ that are examined in this text are not the economics of the abstract, but rather the economics of everyday living. Practical and insightful, this volume is an essential reference for any student or researcher working in all areas of transport provision, ranging from planning, appraisal, regulation and freight; and for all practitioners looking to develop their professional knowledge and who are seeking professional accreditation.

chapter 1|13 pages

Introduction

part I|76 pages

Public transport

part II|65 pages

Public transport reform

chapter 7|17 pages

Public service contracts

The economics of reform with special reference to the bus sector

chapter 8|13 pages

Rail regulation

chapter 10|14 pages

Airline deregulation

part III|113 pages

Forecasting, public choice and transport modelling

part IV|54 pages

Transport and the environment

part V|101 pages

Freight transport

chapter 21|20 pages

Competition and complementarity in road freight

Key drivers and consequences of a dominant market position

chapter 22|17 pages

Rail freight

chapter 23|19 pages

Air cargo

chapter 24|19 pages

Intermodal freight transport