Privatization And Deregulation Of Transport

02 This book is based on a seminar held at Oxford University in September 1997. It took place following the election of the first Labour government for 17 years and following the announcement of the consultation process leading up the publication of a Transport White Paper. The seminar sought to address the somewhat contradictory situation of a government of the left inheriting a transport industry largely privatized and deregulated, but unwilling to commit itself either to the expense of re-nationalization or to finding the large sums of money needed for investment in public infrastructure and facilities. The debate reflects views on the legacy of the previous administration and on the challenges facing the new government. The chapters contain a mix of expert academic, regulatory body and industry viewpoints on bus, freight, airline and train industries. Most, but not all, start from an economic regulation perspective. This book is based on a seminar held at Oxford University in September 1997. It took place following the election of the first Labour government for 17 years and following the announcement of the consultation process leading up the publication of a Transport White Paper. The seminar sought to address the somewhat contradictory situation of a government of the left inheriting a transport industry largely privatized and deregulated, but unwilling to commit itself either to the expense of re-nationalization or to finding the large sums of money needed for investment in public infrastructure and facilities. The debate reflects views on the legacy of the previous administration and on the challenges facing the new government. The chapters contain a mix of expert academic, regulatory body and industry viewpoints on bus, freight, airline and train industries. Most, but not all, start from an economic regulation perspective.

The 1990s saw an increase in the liberalisation of transport policies and a strengthening of the role of private operators and investors in transport infrastructure worldwide. The search for sustained improvement in efficiency is probably secondary to the need to find additional financing, but it is improvement in services that is at the core of the new role of the government in transport. Governments must now become fair economic regulators of many of the privately operated transport services and infrastructures. This book examines the major challenges that governments are likely to face in taking on their new role in transport.

In Last Exit Clifford Winston reminds us that transportation services and infrastructure in the United States were originally introduced by private firms. The case for subsequent public ownership and management of the system was weak, in his view, and here he assesses the case for privatization and deregulation to greatly improve Americans' satisfaction with their transportation systems.

"Argentina's policy for reform of the transport sector has been a mix of competition in the market and, through concessions, for the market. Capacity has increased, demand has grown, and prices and services have improved. Public financing has not been eliminated but it has been drastically reduced"--Cover.

Privatisation and deregulation was chosen as the topic of the annual Canada-UK Colloquium which was held in Scotland in 1987. Most of the papers presented here have been updated since that meeting. These papers discuss the Canadian and British privatisation programs. Also covered are telecommunications; transport; financial services; contracting-out; and problems and prospects with one article given for each country.

"Learning to regulate fairly, effectively, and at arm's length may be the main challenge governments face in attracting private investment and financing to the transport sector"--Cover.