Arenas without Rules and the Policy Change Process: Outsider Groups and British Roads Policy

Abstract

A key task of governments is to construct and manage systems of consultation whereby the vast array of interest groups seeking to in¯uence public policy can be accommodated. Conventional wisdom holds that key insider groups secure for themselves special privileges, not least of which is an ability to prevent radical policy change. A concomitant view is that public policy emerges from relatively stable networks of actors who have some mutual resource dependencies. One reason why this paradigm is showing signs of intellectual fatigue is that it seems weak in explaining policy change. Yet, policy change does take place. Indeed, it is one of the characteristics of the 1980s and 1990s. This article examines an example of the traditional modalities of consultation failing to accommodate new interests, knowledge and ideas. This breakdown appears to have occurred by the use of alternative policỳ arenas without rules' by outsider groups, leading to a radical new`framing' of transport policy. Moreover, government has failed to constrain the new policy issues in predictable and stable systems of consultation.One of the central tasks of modern governments is the management of consultation with the wide range and large numbers of interest groups seeking to in¯uence the formation and implementation of public policy. In the British case, the established traditions of consultation have been well documented. 2 Conventional wisdom holds that the grip of established insider groups on key policy sectors has been strong, and that this in part explains the diculties which governments encounter in bringing about radical policy change.

Government, Interest Groups and Policy Change

“…For well-established policy communities who have long-held the 'franchise' for a policy area, new ideas are a potential threat, unless they emanate from the community itself or can be adapted to suit the existing needs of the community. A key issue for the entrenched interests is the degree to which the new ideas and knowledge can be accommodated in existing and agreed 'policy frames' (Schön and Rein, 1994) or whether completely new frames emerge, backed by new 'adversarial coalitions' (Dudley and Richardson, 1998).…”

The Changing Patterns of Group Politics in Britain

“…(Social Market Foundation, 1996;Brass and Koziell, 1997;Dudley and Richardson, 1998;Grant, 2004) This has been much less developed as a theme both in academic and in political debate. In so far as it is discussed it is often seen as evidence of problems in the broader polity rather than in terms of the challenges presented by the groups themselves:…”

The Enlightenment Function and Dimensions of Time: Evolutionary Theory and Limits of Privatisation in British Trunk Roads Policy

“…The emphasis away from functionalism towards post‐positivist factors encompasses such phenomena as the transmission and propagation of ideas. Consequently, in defence of ideas and the evolutionary model, it could be said that an emphasis on distinguishing between intentional and unintentional change is too static an interpretation of policy change, and fails to take account of more three‐dimensional elements of space and time (Hay 2001, Dudley and Richardson 1998). Institutions are important, but successful ideas will also shape their institutional environments over time.…”