Title: Reform is imperative, but solutions must be flexible
Abstract: This article reports privatisation trends in railway operations around the world. Reform in the US railway industry made both passenger and freight services more profitable. Privatisation in Latin America had generally positive effects with careful management of employee reduction. In Europe the European Commission forced reform through structural change. Some interoperability is developing. Privatisation was most complete in the UK but its infrastructure management has now returned partly to government control. In the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe the collapse of Communist regimes led to economic failure in the railways. The Japanese privatisation has resulted in growth for the three large railway systems but stagnation on smaller railways. The author notes that separation of railways from government; individual line-of-business management, vertical separation, and private sector involvement are recurring themes in successful privatisation. International co-operation remains vital for development. (A)
Publication Year: 2005
Publication Date: 2005-07-01
Language: en
Type: article
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