Transport Project Evaluation: Extending the Social Cost-Benefit Approach

by Elvira Haezendonck (Editor)

Overview

This book revisits traditional evaluation methods, such as cost-benefit analysis, to try and find a balance between the ever-increasing demand for transport, the search for sustainable mobility and green transport solutions, and the limited financial resources that governments are able to invest in transport infrastructure projects.

In this respect, the effects of transport policy need to be measured and evaluated based on multiple criteria and the need to take into consideration a larger group of stakeholders and investors in transport projects. The book illustrates, methodologically and empirically, why and how the institutional and multi-actor environment impacts upon the analysis, evaluation and decision-making of transport projects in Europe.

Including contributions from scholars with considerable expertise in the field, this book will be of great interest to consultants, policymakers and researchers.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781847203793
Publisher:	Edward Elgar Publishing
Publication date:	01/27/2008
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	6.40(w) x 9.30(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Edited by Elvira Haezendonck, University of Brussels (VUB) and University of Antwerp (UA), Belgium

Table of Contents

Contents:

Introduction: Transport Project Evaluation in a Complex European and Institutional Environment
Elvira Haezendonck

Institutional Drivers and Impediments in the Context of Current Transport Projects
Theo Notteboom and Willy Winkelmans

Part I: PERSPECTIVES ON TRANSPORT PROJECT EVALUATION AND METHODOLOGIES
1. Some Considerations on Social Cost–Benefit Analysis as a Tool for Decision-making
Rafael Saitua

2. The Boundaries of Welfare Economics: Transport Appraisal in the UK
Roger Vickerman

3. The Institutional Theory Approach to Transport Policy and Evaluation. The Collective Benefits of a Stakeholder’s Approach: Towards an Eclectic Multi-criteria Analysis
Klaas De Brucker and Alain Verbeke

4. Socio-economic Impact of Transport Policies: An Institutional Approach
Enrico Musso, Simona Sanguineti and Cécile Sillig

5. Multi-criteria Analysis as a Tool to Include Stakeholders in Project Evaluation: The MAMCA Method
Cathy Macharis

6. Ad Hoc Project Procedures for the Development of Transport Infrastructures
Eric Van Hooydonk

PART II: EMPIRICAL STUDIES AND APPLICATIONS OF ECONOMIC TRANSPORT PROJECT EVALUATION IN A COMPLEX EUROPEAN ENVIRONMENT
7. A New Guideline for ‘Ex Ante’ Evaluation of Large Infrastructure Projects in the Netherlands
Martin de Jong and Bert van Wee

8. Project Appraisal and Decision-making in Practice: Evidence from the Deurganckdock Case in the Port of Antwerp
Chris Coeck and Toon Tessier

9. An Application of Stakeholder Analysis to Infrastructure Development: The Case of the ‘DHL Super-hub Location Choice’
Michaël Dooms, Cathy Macharis and Alain Verbeke

10. In Search of the Ideal Institutional Structure for Decision-making on Transport Infrastructure: A Conjoint Analysis of Expert Opinions on Hybrid Forms of German, Danish and Dutch Decision-making
Martin de Jong, Harry Geerlings and Eric Molin

Conclusion: Evolution Towards Integrated Project Appraisal
Chris Coeck and Elvira Haezendonck

Index

Editorial Reviews

'This timely book puts transport cost-benefit analysis in a wider, institutional perspective, relating it in particular to decision making. The book will be of interest to practitioners, consultants and academics who are active in the evaluation of transport projects.'

Erik T. Verhoef

'This book should be of interest to specialized planners and economists involved in transport project evaluations who want a current report on how their colleagues are improving current practices and are willing to wade through various papers. People interested in these issues will surely find many interesting bits of information. It is suitable for a graduate studies seminar that focuses on these issues.'

Todd Litman and Iona To

'This is an important piece of work on project evaluation. An attractive feature is the balanced treatment of theory and application. The book provides very useful information on efforts of national governments in various countries to increase the quality of project evaluation studies by formulating guidelines for project evaluation. One of the strong points of the book is that it does not only address technical aspects of project evaluation tools, but also the institutional structures within which decisions are taken.'

Piet Rietveld