Between fairness, welfare and feasibility: an approach for applying different distributive principles in transport evaluation
Abstract Background For assessing the desirability and feasibility of major transport projects decision makers often recur to ex-ante evaluation methods such as cost-benefit analysis or multi-criteria analysis. In these methods projects are evaluated for their impacts on the welfare of society as on...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SpringerOpen
2020-06-01
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| Series: | European Transport Research Review |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12544-020-00428-4 |
| _version_ | 1819226953795764224 |
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| author | Geert te Boveldt Imre Keseru Cathy Macharis |
| author_facet | Geert te Boveldt Imre Keseru Cathy Macharis |
| author_sort | Geert te Boveldt |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background For assessing the desirability and feasibility of major transport projects decision makers often recur to ex-ante evaluation methods such as cost-benefit analysis or multi-criteria analysis. In these methods projects are evaluated for their impacts on the welfare of society as one indivisible entity. The use of these methods is limited for assessing socio-spatial equity, as costs and benefits of transport are unequally spread over space and society. Moreover, in projects that cross political borders these methods poorly represent the spatially differentiated interests of the decision makers. Methods This article proposes a novel evaluation approach, applied in a study on the possible demolition of a motorway linking the three Belgian regions of Brussels, Flanders and Wallonia. Results The application demonstrates how the social and spatial differentiation of effects can be evaluated, allowing to differentiate impacts for crucial stakeholders or criteria, but also to aggregate evaluation results in cases where pursuing supra-local or common interests is appropriate. Conclusions Whether and where decision making in transport should follow utilitarian or egalitarian distributive principles depends on context and political considerations. The presented approach allows decision makers to apply both principles where they are deemed appropriate, transparently, in a single project. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-23T10:33:41Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f930a852a6b04a7882e5a3487c4c47a6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1867-0717 1866-8887 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-23T10:33:41Z |
| publishDate | 2020-06-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Transport Research Review |
| spelling | doaj.art-f930a852a6b04a7882e5a3487c4c47a62022-12-21T17:50:22ZengSpringerOpenEuropean Transport Research Review1867-07171866-88872020-06-0112111310.1186/s12544-020-00428-4Between fairness, welfare and feasibility: an approach for applying different distributive principles in transport evaluationGeert te Boveldt0Imre Keseru1Cathy Macharis2MOBI Research Group, Vrije Universiteit BrusselMOBI Research Group, Vrije Universiteit BrusselMOBI Research Group, Vrije Universiteit BrusselAbstract Background For assessing the desirability and feasibility of major transport projects decision makers often recur to ex-ante evaluation methods such as cost-benefit analysis or multi-criteria analysis. In these methods projects are evaluated for their impacts on the welfare of society as one indivisible entity. The use of these methods is limited for assessing socio-spatial equity, as costs and benefits of transport are unequally spread over space and society. Moreover, in projects that cross political borders these methods poorly represent the spatially differentiated interests of the decision makers. Methods This article proposes a novel evaluation approach, applied in a study on the possible demolition of a motorway linking the three Belgian regions of Brussels, Flanders and Wallonia. Results The application demonstrates how the social and spatial differentiation of effects can be evaluated, allowing to differentiate impacts for crucial stakeholders or criteria, but also to aggregate evaluation results in cases where pursuing supra-local or common interests is appropriate. Conclusions Whether and where decision making in transport should follow utilitarian or egalitarian distributive principles depends on context and political considerations. The presented approach allows decision makers to apply both principles where they are deemed appropriate, transparently, in a single project.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12544-020-00428-4TransportAppraisalEvaluationUtilitarianismEgalitarianismEquity |
| spellingShingle | Geert te Boveldt Imre Keseru Cathy Macharis Between fairness, welfare and feasibility: an approach for applying different distributive principles in transport evaluation European Transport Research Review Transport Appraisal Evaluation Utilitarianism Egalitarianism Equity |
| title | Between fairness, welfare and feasibility: an approach for applying different distributive principles in transport evaluation |
| title_full | Between fairness, welfare and feasibility: an approach for applying different distributive principles in transport evaluation |
| title_fullStr | Between fairness, welfare and feasibility: an approach for applying different distributive principles in transport evaluation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Between fairness, welfare and feasibility: an approach for applying different distributive principles in transport evaluation |
| title_short | Between fairness, welfare and feasibility: an approach for applying different distributive principles in transport evaluation |
| title_sort | between fairness welfare and feasibility an approach for applying different distributive principles in transport evaluation |
| topic | Transport Appraisal Evaluation Utilitarianism Egalitarianism Equity |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12544-020-00428-4 |
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