Consistent decision making requires a structured, systematic evaluation of the advantages and disadvantages of different choice possibilities. For the evaluation of transportation policy measures, various multicriteria analysis (MCA) methods have been developed to complement conventional cost–benefit analysis. These methods investigate and evaluate all relevant effects of an alternative by introducing some key policy criteria that are particularly relevant in assessing strategic-level impacts, such as environmental impacts and equity issues. Design of the appropriate assessment approach has to take into account the different problem settings in which decision making takes place. That is particularly important in the context of evaluating policies as opposed to plans and programs, such as evaluating transportation policies at the strategic level in contrast to evaluating transportation projects. Hence, there is a clear need for a systematic approach to the strategic assessment of transportation policies. That need is addressed: an evaluation and assessment framework based on three widely used MCA methods is presented, and a comprehensive framework for the strategic assessment of spatial–economic and environmental–economic transportation policy instruments is provided. This framework is applied in the specific case of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games to test its robustness and assist in the formulation of policy actions.
Until recently, Europe was dominated by state-owned, vertically integrated railroads. Lately, European Union (EU) policies and relevant legislation have introduced the legal separation between railroad operations and infrastructure management. Thus, the railroad infrastructure management companies have started applying charges (termed access pricing) to railroad companies for using infrastructure. Although European policies and legislation set the basic access pricing principles, they did not provide specific rules or methods for deriving infrastructure charging systems. An access pricing system for suburban (commuter) rail services was developed. An overview of practices in EU member states and the United States is presented. The basic principles and economic characteristics of infrastructure charging are outlined. The proposed structure of the infrastructure charging system is discussed, with a distinction between the basic charge-which includes costs for train planning and line operations, infrastructure damage and wear and tear costs, and quality of services-and additional components. Each component is mathematically expressed. The proposed charging system does not include costs related to train operations. To test the robustness of the proposed system, it is applied to the suburban rail services provided by the Greek company AMEL, with trains running on the Greek railroads' infrastructure. The proposed infrastructure charging system can be applied to any railroad by changing the variable values.
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