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This paper stresses the lack of attention paid to the geographical definitions of cities in LUTI models as one key detrimental aspect to transferring and generalising LUTI results. First, the argumentation develops from a meta-analysis of peer-reviewed publications about LUTI applications in European cities. We show that most authors do not assess findings against potential geographical biases. Second, theoretical simulations are conducted withUrbanSimapplied to a synthetic urban area. By varying the geographical limits of the system and population endowments, our simulations confirm that the absence of control on city delineation weakens the results. Finally, the paper suggests methodological guidelines to improve the comparability of LUTI applications and push forward their theoretical agenda. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper presents a review of time-series analysis of road safety trends, aggregated at a national level, which has been performed in the period 2000–12 and applied to European national data sets covering long time periods. It provides a guideline and set of best practices in the area of time-series modelling and identifies the latest methods and applications of national road safety trend analysis in Europe. The paper begins with the methodological framework adopted for aggregate time-series modelling that will be considered, and then discusses a number of relevant applications to long-period data aggregated at the national level, whether for countries alone, or for groups of countries. Some analyses, which were performed at the disaggregated level, are also provided, as they are being used more and more. Finally, the paper summarizes and discusses the significant changes in aggregate road safety trend analysis which occurred during the period and provides recommendations for continuing these research efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The challenge in this paper is to examine to what extent increased barge transport offers an alternative for road transport. To increase barge transport, innovations are needed. The central issue is as follows. Which barge innovations can be implemented successfully? The paper reviews the most important academic literature (some of which is scarce) on barge transport. The literature has been used as input to evaluate the potential of barge innovations for broad market‐based introduction. Furthermore, the innovations have been evaluated on their potential to enlarge the barge market. The analysis leads to a number of conclusions. The most promising innovations for a successful broad‐based market introduction are the catalyst and filter systems Z‐drive, Tempomaat, air‐lubricated barges, model shift scans, Distrivaart, dedicated barges and sea–river transport. Besides the innovation having a success potential in terms of broad‐based market introduction, it is important that the innovation enlarges the market for barge transport. Only three of the potential successful innovations (Distrivaart, dedicated barges and sea–river transport) also show the potential to enlarge the market for barge transport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper seeks to highlight the importance of modern telecommunications networks in combined transport marketing channels deployed for intermodal terminals. To develop a customer-based and broadly applicable framework for studying combined freight transport in Europe, the use of the marketing channel theory is advocated. The central research question addressed in this paper is: which opportunities do telecommunications networks offer to intermodal freight terminals in order to function more efficiently in combined transport marketing channels? After a description of the information sector and telecommunications networks, recent developments in these booming sectors are pinpointed and the opportunities offered to intermodal freight terminals and combined transport are mapped out. The central focus is on intermodal freight terminals in combined transport marketing channels in which different types of flows are employed (e.g. payment, ordering, promotion, etc.). All these marketing channel flows are, in principle, customer-driven and require a lot of tailor-made information and, thus, also the use of proper telecommunications networks. This paper describes the changing scene of intermodal freight terminals with a particular view to the opportunities—service change, service development, market development, diversification—for intermodal freight terminals to improve their competitive position by using the information and communication technology sector. The main message is that there are numerous opportunities for intermodal freight terminals to function more efficiently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the rationale, the method, and the alternative choices in the process of restructuring the Hellenic Railways Organisation (OSE). The most likely alternative structures regarding ownership and management issues of the new entities that will inherit the old OSE organization, and discusses the strategic implications of these alternatives are discussed. A critical view of the process of Greek railway reform and the evaluation results of the alternative organizational structures for the new situation are presented. It first presents the current experience in European Union and other countries of Europe, and the relative position of the Greek railways vis-à-vis the most common practices. The most likely options for the new organizational structure are presented which will result from the application of the European Union Directives and the Greek Law 2671/98 for the reorganization of the Greek railways. Based on a more detailed presentation of expected income and expenditures (i.e. economic viability) of the alternatives, a structure and a roadmap to these reforms is recommended for a successful and, above all 'implementable', reform of the Greek railways under the current conditions. Finally, the process for change and restructuring is described in terms of the basic principles and procedures that should be followed, and in terms of the necessary steps and procedures for the transition from the current to the new situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on a review of available data from a database on large‐scale transport infrastructure projects, this paper investigates the hypothesis that traffic forecasts for road links in Europe are geographically biased with underestimated traffic volumes in metropolitan areas and overestimated traffic volumes in remote regions. The present data do not support this hypothesis. Since previous studies have shown a strong tendency to overestimated forecasts of the number of passengers on new rail projects, it could be speculated that road planners are more skilful and/or honest than rail planners. However, during the period when the investigated projects were planned (up to the late 1980s), there were hardly any strong incentives for road planners to make biased forecasts in order to place their projects in a more flattering light. Future research might uncover whether the change from the ‘predict and provide’ paradigm to ‘predict and prevent’ occurring in some European countries in the 1990s has influenced the accuracy of road traffic forecasts in metropolitan areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The institutional environment of rail transport has changed as a result of recent European directives, but the changes have taken different forms from one country to another. In the case of international maritime chains, the development of door‐to‐door services makes inland haulage from the loading and discharging ports extremely important, and it highlights the need to reshape the rail freight industry. This paper analyses the degree of involvement of different actors drawn from the maritime industry in developing and commercializing rail services in the changing regulatory environment. Several maritime operators, shipping lines, port‐handling companies and port authorities have been involved in some container rail services since the early days of liberalization. Their commitments take very different forms, however. Whereas contracts are mainly used for the provision of service, particularly for train haulage, integration by means of shareholding or creating subsidiaries or joint ventures is used for marketing. Important differences between France, the UK, Germany and the Netherlands are detailed. In the latter two countries, there is more involvement in the provision of rail services. Marketing rail services appear to be the main strategic issue for the maritime operators in all four countries [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a comprehensive framework for analysing and comparing the various institutional models and regulatory arrangements that have recently emerged from the restructuring of European passenger rail industries. The framework identifies seven key dimensions that can be used to describe these models and arrangements. It shows how these dimensions are connected with one another in a complex web of interactions. Empirical material gathered on the passenger rail industries of five EU Member States, i.e. Belgium, France, Germany, the UK, and Sweden is used, as well as extrapolation to highlight the costs and benefits (incentive properties) associated with alternative arrangements and contract features and to show how certain dimensions can be traded-off against one another to optimize the industry's performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]