REVIEW FOR ‘TRANSPORT ECONOMIST
MARTIN HIGGINSON
Ruud Filarski (in cooperation with Gijs Mom), Shaping Transport Policy
(Den Haag, Sdu Uitgevers, 2011, price €41.50)
This historical review and assessment of transport policies in seven countries
(Great Britain, Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the
USA) is the result of a study commissioned in 2005 by the Dutch Ministry of
Infrastructure and the Environment (Rijkswaterstaat), with particular support
from Bert Toussaint, the Ministry’s historian - a worthwhile appointment: does
the DfT have a historian? The study’s aim was to gain an understanding of the
effectiveness of different policy instruments, as an aid to governments in
transport policy implementation. The sub-title Two centuries of struggle between
the public and private sector – A comparative perspective accurately defines the
authors’ approach. The work covers the emergence of railways (1830-1910),
tramways (1870-1920), the car and national road networks (1900-40), the bus
industry (1920-40), road freight (1920-2005) and the era of mass motorization
(1950-2008), with reference also to the role of the state in policy development
and regulation.
Four main policy areas are examined: structuring an effective transport networl;
organizing rail transport; creating fair competition; and combating the
environmental impact of the car. The evolution of these policies over time,
measures taken by governments to address them and the long-term impacts of
these measures are each considered. The work shows evidence of thorough and
wide-ranging research, there being numerous tables of comparative statistics
and 45 pages of notes and references.
The book has two great strengths; the seldom performed comparison of policies
between countries; and the authors’ ability to summarise situations in simple
and effective language. For example “Compared with the European railways, the
early US rail links were primitive and cheaply built, and operated with
insufficient care” (p7) and “The nationwide haulage strikes in Italy in December
2007, which plunged the country into a supply crisis in only four days, showed
that small-scale companies such as these can give rise to a highly explosive
situation” (p.175). The bias towards coverage of Dutch developments and
examples can be forgiven, in view of the study’s pedigree; and the other six
countries are by no means ignored. A message the authors are particularly keen
to convey is the continuing relevance today of many of the issues and dilemmas
that faced governments in the past – a message politicians and regulators would
do well to appreciate.
The numerous tables are indicative of wide-ranging research, that in the authors’
own publications suggesting extensive use of original material as well as a vast
array of secondary sources. Simple tabulations such as those in chapter 2 The
emergence of the railways 1830-1910 must have taken many hours each to
compile. Lengths of line, related to populations and land surface areas, and
average fares show how the railway revolution started in Britain, and the United
States, with other nations soon catching up and overtaking. Belgium, France,
Germany, the Netherlands and, in particular Switzerland, with only 25 route km,
all lagged behind Britain 9,800 km and the USA (14,500) in 1850. By 1880 the
scale of the French and German networks approximately equaled Britain’s and
that of the USA was six times larger. The Swiss network had grown to 2,500 km.
The complaint of high rail fares in Britain is nothing new; in 1850 they were
already some 50% higher than the average in the other countries in the sample,
and remained constant whilst those in other countries declined.
While many readers will be reasonably familiar with the situation in their own
country, the parallel presentation of international evidence will be revealing. It is
therefore of particular interest that the authors have been able to discuss a
series of key questions that apply across the board (p204). Should governments
be responsible for establishing coherent rail and road networks, or the task left
to regional/local authorities, or to market forces? To what extent should
railways be regulated by governments? Should governments intervene to
establish equal competitive conditions, or to promote particular modes? And a
question that has risen up the ranks of importance in recent years: to what
extent should governments intervene to reduce the environmental impacts of
transport, especially of cars?
In their conclusions the authors remind the reader of the study’s principal
purpose; to advise and inform policy-makers on any lessons to be taken forward
from past experience and set out three propositions: that policymakers need to
develop and nurture a thorough understanding of traffic and transport; that they
must be in a position to apply this knowledge in an unprejudiced manner; and
that transport policies can only be effective if supported by society at large – so
policymakers must work closely with the general public, with the business
community and with critics.
Your reviewer has no hesitation in recommending this work to transport
economists as a comprehensive, balanced, well presented, informative and
eminently readable contribution to the literature on transport policy.
Martin Higginson
Transport Research & Consultancy
19 October 2011