This paper first considers the role of appraisal in rail systems, and shows how this extends far beyond simply appraising investment projects to considering long run strategy, renewals, quality of service and closures. It then discusses the particular issues which make rail appraisals complex,...

The separation of purchaser and provider requires identification of the respective roles and responsibilities of the two parties. In the spirit of previous Thredbo conferences, we saw it as clear government should be responsible for strategy and operators for operations. That left, as always,...

This workshop considered the role of risks and rewards in rail transport by considering evidence on the impacts of industry structure, franchising and infrastructure charges. A schema for the allocation of risks and rewards was developed, which indicated that strategic risks should be borne by...

It is about 20 years since the rail reform process in Europe began with the separation of infrastructure from operations in Sweden. This paper reviews the entire process, examining the objectives of reform, the different models adopted, and the key elements of separation of infrastructure from...

This case study examines the proposed Edinburgh cordon charge scheme, which - despite earmarking revenues for use in the transport sector - was still defeated at a referendum. This research suggests that whilst earmarking revenues reduced the efficiency of the scheme compared to a first best...

Whilst the emphasis of European Union rail legislation to date has been on freight, measures such as separation of infrastructure from operations, infrastructure charging regimes and regulation have major implications for the passenger sector. But implementation of these measures in many...