Economics and Financing

This document is a report on a review of Australasian and international literature in 2002 exploring the availability of data, analysis and findings that could assist in estimating inter-modal benefits related to urban transport project evaluations. The main purpose of this document is to provide a basis for scoping the future development of a consistent Australasian approach to the inclusion of trips by bus, rail, cycle, and on foot, in the evaluation of multi-modal urban road transport infrastructure. Applications of bottom-up (local, project by project) and top-down integrated strategic approaches are discussed. Top-down strategic approaches discussed include the UK Guidance on the Methodology for Multi-Modal Studies (GOMMMS), the European Inter-Modal Links Study (EUROSIL), and the 2001 NCHRP Guidebook. The rapid growth of literature on walking is noted, as is the 1999 FHWA overview of methods of estimating non-motorised travel. The document suggests that the results of a number of smaller local studies, taken together, can contribute to an overall understanding of what makes multi-modal transport work. Studies on elasticity are cited from New York, Victoria (BC, Canada), and Australia. Broad conclusions are drawn, and suggestions are put forward for further work to develop a consistent Australasian capability in evaluating benefits of multi-modal road transport.