KTH ROYAL INSTITUTEOF TECHNOLOGY

Government’s Role for Transport Infrastructure – a Co-evolutionary ApproachBjörn Hasselgren, PhD

”New Directions in the History of Infrastructure”

Copenhagen September 26-28, 2014

Historical development of roads and railroads

Railroad corporations

Private and state

railroads 1925

• 70 % local and private

• Concessions > 300

• Guarantees, loans

• Government managed major routes

Three governance principles – following the 1930-40s

nationalization

Development over time of transport infrastructure -a

co-evolutionary approach

Technology EconomicsPolitics and

”socio-culture”

Public sector

Private sector

Development of transport infrastructure systems

Important factors for policy formation

Role of 1939-1963 1963-1988 1989-2010

Technology Strong influence Widened use of existing technology

Growing Importance, e.g. ITS and new technology for low emission vehicles

Economics Strong influence cost responsibility and competition

Strong influence growth of welfare economics

Strong influence welfare economics

Politics and “socio culture”

No ideological push behind nationalization

Growing importance and broader political agenda

Strong influence Sustainability and deliberative processes

Public sectorvs.Private sector

The government managed market economy

Competition between transport modes

Preserved government ownership with some opening for alternative financing and privatization

Conclusions

- The co-evolution approach helps to understand and

analyze the development over time

- Shifts between public and private organizational models over time

- The government pragmatic and cautious/reluctant

- Technology will (has) regain(-ed) its importance

Björn Hasselgren, PhD

KTH Royal Institute of Technology

Architecture and the Built Environment

+46-70-762 33 16

bjorn.hasselgren@abe.kth.se

www.kth.se/blogs/hasselgren

@HasselgrenB