Report Of The Hundred And Seventeenth Round Table On Transport Economics Held In Paris On 26th 27th October 2000 On The Following Topic

In economic appraisals of road safety measures, determining which method to use for the valuation of those measures is a problem. There are two methods open to us. Remarkably, one accurately measures a non-relevant concept (the human capital method), while the other measures the correct parameter, but not very accurately (the willingness-to-pay method). The Round Table examined the many complementary aspects of the two and found that what was needed, above all, were practical guides for each method. The Round Table noted that values for human life are highly comparable from one mode of transp.

This publication reviews road safety policies and their economic evaluation.

In economic appraisals of road safety measures, determining which method to use for the valuation of those measures is a problem. There are two methods open to us. Remarkably, one accurately measures a non-relevant concept (the human capital method), while the other measures the correct parameter, but not very accurately (the willingness-to-pay method). The Round Table examined the many complementary aspects of the two and found that what was needed, above all, were practical guides for each method. The Round Table noted that values for human life are highly comparable from one mode of transp.

To mark its hundredth Round Table on transport economics, the ECMT decided to publish a special issue. Fifty European experts were asked to submit papers examining not only the major issues addressed by transport economics in the past, but also those that are likely to emerge in the future.

Buoyed by the globalisation of trade, international express delivery of documents, packets and parcels is expanding rapidly. At the same time, express delivery and parcel services are tending to resemble each other greatly, at least in Europe. Express delivery and parcel service operators -- integrators, forwarders, traditional carriers or public undertakings like the Post Office -- compete increasingly. How will markets evolve? What will be the role of the various players? Will they enter into strategic alliances, and will these alliances be lasting? Should the authorities intervene? These and other questions were raised at the Round Table where experts and express delivery service operators compared their opinions. The Round Table showed clearly that the express delivery business in Europe is poised to undergo major changes.

This report describes current thinking on anticipated trends in logistics systems.