The Case for Returning Transport Provision to State Control and Regulation: Evidence on Relative Effectiveness and Efficiency from the UK and Ireland

Currently, the issues of the nationalisation of rail and a possible requirement for quality contracts to be implemented for some local bus services have risen to the top of the economic agenda for United Kingdom (UK) transport provision. This situation stems from lack of satisfaction with market liberalisation during the 1980s and 1990s. However such calls for reform of public transport regulation prompt questions about the relative effectiveness of greater state involvement in the control and delivery of public transport. This paper examines the effectiveness and efficiency of regulated public transport provision by benchmarking it against other deregulated and private transport systems. The benchmarking work compares public transport performance, funding and structure. The paper reviews evidence on the performance of public transport operators under a variety of control and regulations within the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, based on a number of secondary data sources. The paper provides a commentary on the relative performances of the different types of public transport operators. This informs a discussion on the possible reasons for performance variations between operators.

• Record URL:
  https://aetransport.org/past-etc-papers/conference-papers-2015
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Abstract used by permission of Association for European Transport. Alternate title: Returning Public Transport to State Control and Regulation? Evidence on Relative Effectiveness and Efficiency from the UK and Ireland.
• Corporate Authors:

  Association for European Transport (AET)

  1 Vernon Mews, Vernon Street, West Kensington
  London W14 0RL,    
• Authors:
  • Smyth, Austin
  • Kelleher, Luke
• Conference:
  • European Transport Conference 2015
  • Location: Frankfurt , Germany
  • Date: 2015-9-28 to 2015-9-30
• Publication Date: 2015

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 28p
• Monograph Title: European Transport Conference 2015: Strands

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Buses; Industry structure; Nationalization; Railroads; Regulatory reform; State government; Transit operating agencies
• Geographic Terms: Ireland; United Kingdom
• Subject Areas: Law; Policy; Public Transportation; Railroads; I21: Planning of Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01579143
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Oct 23 2015 9:28AM