Improving Reliability on Surface Transport Networks

This report provides policy makers with a framework to understand reliability issues, to incorporate reliability into project assessment and to design reliability management policies. It also explores a range of reliability performance measures. Case studies across OECD and ITF countries provide examples of several core policy tools that can be used to deliver more reliable networks in a cost-effective manner.

The report makes significant progress in identifying appropriate methodology for incorporating reliability into policy and project evaluation, as well as exploring the pitfalls that need to be avoided.



This report Improving Reliability on Surface Transport Networks examines the extent to which appropriate levels of transport reliability are delivered, examining experience in each of the major ITF regions. With growing prosperity, consumers are increasingly mobile and demand higher quality transport services, for which reliable transport networks are central. Reliable trade connections within economies and between global partners are vital for the growing world economy. It is important to ensure there are efficient levels of reliability – neither too little nor too much.

Table of Contents

Foreword, Abstract
Key Messages
Executive Summary
1. Setting the Scene
-Defining transport reliability
-How network users manage unreliability
-Distinguishing unreliability from congestion
-Sources of transport unreliability
-Reliability and transoprt trends
-Granulated values of reliability
-Why network users' diverse reliability needs are not met by network providers
-Determining efficient reliability strategies
-A new policy framwork
2. Monitoring Reliability as a Policy Signal
-Introduction
-Data collection
-Monitoring provider or operator reliability
-Monitoring user experience of reliability
-Targets as a policy signal
-Conclusions
3. Incorporating Reliability into Cost-Benefit Analysis
-Cost-benefit analysis as a tool
-Applying cost-benefit analysis to reliability policies
-Existing treatment of reliability in cost-benefit analysis
-Conclusions
4. Infrastructure Supply Provision as a Policy Tool
-Supplying capacity
-Setting network standards and improving robustness of capacity
-Conclusions
5. Influencing Supply Management as a Policy Tool
-Pro-active identification of network vulnerability
-Active management of infrastructure
-Managing interfaces
-Conclusions
6. Pricing Networks to Optimise Reliability
-Prevailing pricing strategies
-Obstacles to achieving differentiated reliability levels
-Application of pricing to network reliability
-Conclusions
7. Informing Mitigating the Impacts of Unreliability
-The role of information
-Travel time information dissemination
-Conclusions
8. Conclusions
References
Contributors to the Report