Title: RAILWAYS IN TRANSITION: A REVIEW OF FIVE COUNTRIES
Abstract: This paper reviews the railway systems in five countries with specific attention to recent reform or changes in operation, as many systems move from national control to privatisation. In Japan, reform of the national railway in 1987 involved privatisation based on subdivision. A licence system regulates entry to the market, leased on specific rail lines. In New Zealand the railway system restructuring began in 1982 and currently a single private operator has exclusive right of use of the rail network, although possibilities exist for further operators. In the UK, railway reform was implemented from 1993. Train operating companies were privatised via a franchising process, with the track operating company being a separate private concern. In Sweden, deregulation from 1988 has resulted in the separation of service provision and infrastructure, and the previous national railway has reduced its share of the passenger market. In Denmark the national company was still providing the majority of passenger services in 2002 but other competitors entered the market from 2000. Productivity has improved, to a greater or lesser extent, in all five systems, usually alongside reductions in staff.
Publication Year: 2002
Publication Date: 2002-08-01
Language: en
Type: review
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Cited By Count: 2
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