Reliability Benefits of Rail Investment Projects
This paper describes how two important policy goals of public transport and rail travel are the better accessibility of urban areas and a more sustainable society. Rail investment projects usually aim to achieve shorter travel times, higher frequencies and less travel costs. These quality factors predominate in transport policy and in project appraisal methods typically require a cost-benefit-analysis (CBA). Although reliability is regarded as an important quality aspect, it often has a limited impact in appraisal methods. This paper is based on a study commissioned by the Dutch Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management. The study’s aim is twofold: (1) to describe how reliability of rail travel is used in present transport policy; and (2) to improve the manner in which the benefits of better reliability are assessed, measured and validated. The study focuses on the situation in the Netherlands, yet it also compares similar practices elsewhere. Although reliability encompasses various dimensions, such as reliability of travel time, of travel comfort or of travel information, this study is confined to the reliability of travel time. The paper does not include reliability as it pertains to rail cargo transport, as this is a different market segment requiring different types of analysis. Finally, in most cases, the figures presented in this paper apply to Netherlands Railways (NS), the country’s largest operating company, with a market share of over 90% of all rail passenger transport. Chapter 1 defines travel time reliability from the viewpoint of passengers, including the differences and overlaps among the various concepts, such as train punctuality and travel time variation. Chapter 2 describes the present practice in which reliability often is limited to train punctuality. In Chapter 3 identified several aspects of travel behavior that should be implemented in a reliability analysis in order to gain a more accurate and complete picture. Chapter 4 describes how, in present practice, changes in reliability are assessed in a social cost-benefit-analysis (SCBA), as well as offering a step-by-step overview for improving and extending the methodology used for determining the effects of investments in rail travel reliability. Chapter 5 presents the conclusions of this study.
- Record URL:
-
Corporate Authors:
Association for European Transport (AET)
1 Vernon Mews, Vernon Street, West Kensington
London W14 0RL, -
Authors:
- Savelberg, Fons
- Bakker, Peter
-
Conference:
- European Transport Conference, 2010
- Location: Glasgow Scotland, United Kingdom
- Date: 2010-10-11 to 2010-10-13
- Publication Date: 2010
Language
- English
Media Info
- Media Type: Web
- Features: Bibliography; Figures; Tables;
- Pagination: 13p
- Monograph Title: European Transport Conference, 2010 Proceedings
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Benefit cost analysis; Externalities; Investments; Railroad traffic; Railroad transportation; Sustainable development; Travel behavior; Travel time
- Uncontrolled Terms: Service reliability; Travel time reliability
- Geographic Terms: Netherlands
- Subject Areas: Planning and Forecasting; Railroads; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01352676
- Record Type: Publication
- Files: TRIS
- Created Date: Sep 27 2011 8:16AM