PUBLIC VERSUS PRIVATE TRANSPORT

This book compares the economic and environmental characteristics of public and private transport modes, and reviews the potential for modifying modal split in each of the main sectors of the transport market. Opening with a review of the traditional "track-cost" argument on the relative merits of public and private transport, the author concludes that it is the comparison of costs and benefits of future infrastructure changes rather than historic revenue and cost comparisons that is relevant to the issue of choice of modal split. A consideration of the relative pollution and resource depletion caused by different modes furthers the conclusion that normal commercial criteria do not provide a good way of allocating resources in the transport sector. Alternative methods of modifying modal split are then considered. A chapter is devoted to each of the main sub-divisions of the transport market. On urban passenger transport it is concluded that a strategy based on major use of public transport rather than large-scale road building is feasible and has many advantages. In the inter-urban and rural passenger market, whilst there is evidence of resource misallocation the problem of how to deal with it is harder to resolve. Although much freight traffic is captive to road transport given patterns of institutions and land use - there is likely to be scope here too for beneficial changes not only in modal split but also more generally in methods of freight handling. The final conclusion is that it is only by looking at specific locations and specific traffics that the question of optimal division between public and private transport can be resolved. /TRRL/

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/333154053
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Published in the Studies in Economics Series.
• Corporate Authors:

  Macmillan Press, Limited

  4 Little Essex Street
  London WC2R 3LF,   England 
• Authors:
  • Nash, C
• Publication Date: 1976

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 96 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Benefit cost analysis; Costs; Economic analysis; Economic factors; Economics; Environmental impacts; Environmental quality; Freight transportation; Highways; Industry structure; Intercity travel; Modal split; Nationalization; Ownership; Passenger transportation; Planning; Private transportation; Public transit; Railroads; Rural areas; Socioeconomic factors; Transportation; Transportation policy; Urban areas
• Geographic Terms: United States
• Old TRIS Terms: National transportation policies; Railway
• ITRD Terms: 224: Cost; 263: Economics of transport; 1112: Freight transport; 2755: Highway; 1054: Network (traffic); 143: Planning; 746: Private transport; 744: Public transport; 328: Rural area; 313: Urban area
• Subject Areas: Economics; Environment; Planning and Forecasting; Society; Transportation (General); I10: Economics and Administration;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00147865
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL)
• ISBN: 333154053
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Feb 16 1981 12:00AM