Europe: Alternative Models for Restructuring

This chapter describes how the pace of reform in the rail industry has rapidly accelerated under the pressure of successive European in the last decade. By 2005, many countries in Europe were in the process of completely separating infrastructure from operations and of introducing competitive tendering for at least some passenger services, while all of the countries were required to implement open access for freight services and to provide an opportunity for appealing access issues to a regulator who is independent of the infrastructure manager. This chapter reviews the legislation for distinguishing the changes required by law from those implemented voluntarily by some member governments fist. The chapter then examines the extent to which vertical separation and competition by means of open access or tendering have actually been introduced. The next two sections examine econometric evidence and case studies of the impacts of reform and focus particularly on two different models: complete separation of infrastructure and operations as in Britain and Sweden. The evidence suggests that the overall reforms are leading to improvement in the competitive situation of European railways, but there is still a great deal of doubt about the precise combination of reforms that work best in any given situation.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://www.e-elgar.com/Bookentry_Main.lasso?id=4213
• Corporate Authors:

  Edward Elgar Publishers

  William Pratt House, 9 Dewey Court
  Northampton, MA  United States  01060-3815
• Authors:
  • Nash, Chris
• Publication Date: 2006

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 25-48
• Monograph Title: Competition In The Railway Industry: An International Comparative Analysis

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Competition; Infrastructure; Policy; Policy, legislation and regulation; Railroad transportation; Regulatory reform; Restructuring; Tenders
• Geographic Terms: Europe; Sweden
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Policy; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01051862
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 9781845429034
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jun 20 2007 2:17PM