IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/ecotra/v39y2024ics2212012224000194.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

High-Speed Rail: A game changer for Spanish motorway transport?

Author

Listed:
  • Albalate, Daniel
  • León-Gómez, Carlos R.

Abstract

Spain has deployed the world’s largest High-Speed Rail (HSR) network, in per capita terms, under the premise that this infrastructure provides a cleaner mode for reaching their environmental commitments. However, for observing environmental gains, there should be inter-modal substitution from polluter modes to the HSR. This paper analyzes the impact of new HSR openings on car traffic, using a Generalized and Staggered Difference-in-Difference approach. Unlike previous studies, we analyzes the entire Spanish HSR network. We matched the georeferenced data on car traffic with the origin–destination routes provided by Google Maps API to estimate the impact of the HSR on car traffic. We found that the HSR has not generated modal split, except for few of the HSR segments, in which we estimated a 6%–8% reduction in the annual average daily traffic. These results have public policy implications for the transport policy in the EU, and the effectiveness of decarbonization policies.

Suggested Citation

  • Albalate, Daniel & León-Gómez, Carlos R., 2024. "High-Speed Rail: A game changer for Spanish motorway transport?," Economics of Transportation, Elsevier, vol. 39(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecotra:v:39:y:2024:i:c:s2212012224000194
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ecotra.2024.100360
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212012224000194
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.ecotra.2024.100360?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Wan, Yulai & Ha, Hun-Koo & Yoshida, Yuichiro & Zhang, Anming, 2016. "Airlines’ reaction to high-speed rail entries: Empirical study of the Northeast Asian market," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 532-557.
    2. Moshe Givoni & Frédéric Dobruszkes, 2013. "A Review of Ex-Post Evidence for Mode Substitution and Induced Demand Following the Introduction of High-Speed Rail," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/152140, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    3. Vickerman, Roger, 2018. "Can high-speed rail have a transformative effect on the economy?," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 31-37.
    4. Zhang, Anming & Wan, Yulai & Yang, Hangjun, 2019. "Impacts of high-speed rail on airlines, airports and regional economies: A survey of recent research," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 1-19.
    5. Bergantino, Angela Stefania & Madio, Leonardo, 2020. "Intermodal competition and substitution. HSR versus air transport: Understanding the socio-economic determinants of modal choice," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    6. De Rus Ginés, 2011. "The BCA of HSR: Should the Government Invest in High Speed Rail Infrastructure?," Journal of Benefit-Cost Analysis, De Gruyter, vol. 2(1), pages 1-28, January.
    7. Dobruszkes, Frédéric & Dehon, Catherine & Givoni, Moshe, 2014. "Does European high-speed rail affect the current level of air services? An EU-wide analysis," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 461-475.
    8. Garcia-López, Miquel-Ángel & Holl, Adelheid & Viladecans-Marsal, Elisabet, 2015. "Suburbanization and highways in Spain when the Romans and the Bourbons still shape its cities," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 52-67.
    9. Borsati, Mattia & Albalate, Daniel, 2020. "On the modal shift from motorway to high-speed rail: evidence from Italy," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 137(C), pages 145-164.
    10. Graham, Daniel J. & Gibbons, Stephen, 2019. "Quantifying Wider Economic Impacts of agglomeration for transport appraisal: Existing evidence and future directions," Economics of Transportation, Elsevier, vol. 19(C), pages 1-1.
    11. Beria, Paolo & Grimaldi, Raffaele & Albalate, Daniel & Bel, Germà, 2018. "Delusions of success: Costs and demand of high-speed rail in Italy and Spain," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 63-79.
    12. Daniel Albalate & Germà Bel, 2011. "Cuando La Economía No Importa: Auge Y Esplendor De La Alta Velocidad En España," Revista de Economia Aplicada, Universidad de Zaragoza, Departamento de Estructura Economica y Economia Publica, vol. 19(1), pages 171-190, Spring.
    13. Zhang, Fangni & Graham, Daniel J. & Wong, Mark Siu Chun, 2018. "Quantifying the substitutability and complementarity between high-speed rail and air transport," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 191-215.
    14. Callaway, Brantly & Sant’Anna, Pedro H.C., 2021. "Difference-in-Differences with multiple time periods," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 225(2), pages 200-230.
    15. De Rus Ginés, 2011. "The BCA of HSR: Should the Government Invest in High Speed Rail Infrastructure?," Journal of Benefit-Cost Analysis, De Gruyter, vol. 2(1), pages 1-28, January.
    16. Albalate, Daniel & Bel, Germà & Fageda, Xavier, 2015. "Competition and cooperation between high-speed rail and air transportation services in Europe," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 166-174.
    17. González, Rosa Marina & Marrero, Gustavo A., 2012. "Induced road traffic in Spanish regions: A dynamic panel data model," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 46(3), pages 435-445.
    18. Francesca PAGLIARA & Luigi BIGGIERO & Alessia PATRONE & Francesco PERUGGINI, 2016. "An Analysis Of Spatial Equity Concerning Investments In High-Speed Rail Systems: The Case Study Of Italy," Transport Problems, Silesian University of Technology, Faculty of Transport, vol. 11(3), pages 55-68, September.
    19. Cobos, Carlos, 2022. "High-Speed Rail: a panel data impact evaluation by Municipalities on depopulation and unemployment," UC3M Working papers. Economics 35284, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. Departamento de Economía.
    20. Batarce, Marco & Basso, Franco & Basso, Leonardo J., 2023. "The elasticity of demand on urban highways: The case of Santiago," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 234-241.
    21. Castillo-Manzano, José I. & Pozo-Barajas, Rafael & Trapero, Juan R., 2015. "Measuring the substitution effects between High Speed Rail and air transport in Spain," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 59-65.
    22. Zhang, Rui & Johnson, Daniel & Zhao, Weiming & Nash, Chris, 2019. "Competition of airline and high-speed rail in terms of price and frequency: Empirical study from China," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 8-18.
    23. Álvarez-SanJaime, Óscar & Cantos-Sanchez, Pedro & Moner-Colonques, Rafael & Sempere-Monerris, Jose J., 2015. "A model of internal and external competition in a High Speed Rail line," Economics of Transportation, Elsevier, vol. 4(3), pages 178-187.
    24. Moshe Givoni & Frédéric Dobruszkes, 2013. "A Review of Ex-Post Evidence for Mode Substitution and Induced Demand Following the Introduction of High-Speed Rail," Transport Reviews, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 33(6), pages 720-742, November.
    25. Hörcher, Daniel & Tirachini, Alejandro, 2021. "A review of public transport economics," Economics of Transportation, Elsevier, vol. 25(C).
    26. Vicente Inglada & GinÊs de Rus, 1997. "Cost-benefit analysis of the high-speed train in Spain," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 31(2), pages 175-188.
    27. Daniel Graham & Stephen Glaister, 2005. "Decomposing the determinants of road traffic demand," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 37(1), pages 19-28.
    28. Li, Hongchang & Strauss, Jack & Lu, Liu, 2019. "The impact of high-speed rail on civil aviation in China," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 187-200.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Sun, Xiaoqian & Zheng, Changhong & Li, Jiachang & Jiang, Changmin & Zhang, Anming & Wandelt, Sebastian, 2024. "A review on research regarding HSR interactions with air transport and outlook for future research challenges," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 157(C), pages 74-85.
    2. Zhang, Anming & Wan, Yulai & Yang, Hangjun, 2019. "Impacts of high-speed rail on airlines, airports and regional economies: A survey of recent research," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 1-19.
    3. Borsati, Mattia & Albalate, Daniel, 2020. "On the modal shift from motorway to high-speed rail: evidence from Italy," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 137(C), pages 145-164.
    4. Wu, Shuping & Han, Dan, 2022. "Accessibility of high-speed rail (HSR) stations and HSR–air competition: Evidence from China," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 166(C), pages 262-284.
    5. Wang, Jiaoe & Huang, Jie & Jing, Yue, 2020. "Competition between high-speed trains and air travel in China: From a spatial to spatiotemporal perspective," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 62-78.
    6. Bernardo, Valeria & Fageda, Xavier, 2020. "Impacts of competition on connecting travelers: Evidence from the transatlantic aviation market," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 141-151.
    7. Blayac, Thierry & Bougette, Patrice & Laroche, Florent, 2024. "An analysis of intermodal competition and multiproduct Incumbent's strategies in the French market: What drive high-speed trains' prices and frequencies?," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 156(C), pages 25-42.
    8. Jiao, Jingjuan & Wang, Jiaoe & Zhang, Fangni & Jin, Fengjun & Liu, Wei, 2020. "Roles of accessibility, connectivity and spatial interdependence in realizing the economic impact of high-speed rail: Evidence from China," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 1-15.
    9. Gu, Hongyi & Wan, Yulai, 2022. "Airline reactions to high-speed rail entry: Rail quality and market structure," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 165(C), pages 511-532.
    10. Ma, Wenliang & Wang, Qiang & Yang, Hangjun & Zhang, Guoquan & Zhang, Yahua, 2020. "Understanding airline price dispersion in the presence of high-speed rail," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 93-102.
    11. Liu, Shuli & Wan, Yulai & Ha, Hun-Koo & Yoshida, Yuichiro & Zhang, Anming, 2019. "Impact of high-speed rail network development on airport traffic and traffic distribution: Evidence from China and Japan," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 115-135.
    12. Avogadro, Nicolò & Pels, Eric & Redondi, Renato, 2023. "Policy impacts on the propensity to travel by HSR in the Amsterdam – London market," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 87(PB).
    13. Xia, Wenyi & Jiang, Changmin & Wang, Kun & Zhang, Anming, 2019. "Air-rail revenue sharing in a multi-airport system: Effects on traffic and social welfare," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 121(C), pages 304-319.
    14. Jiang, Changmin & Wang, Kun & Wang, Qiang & Yang, Hangjun, 2022. "The Impact of High-Speed Rail Competition on Airline On-Time Performance," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 161(C), pages 109-127.
    15. Chen, Zhe & Wang, Zhengli & Jiang, Hai, 2019. "Analyzing the heterogeneous impacts of high-speed rail entry on air travel in China: A hierarchical panel regression approach," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 86-98.
    16. Zhu, Feng & Wu, Xu & Cao, Chengxuan, 2021. "High-speed rail and air transport competition under high flight delay conditions in China: A case study of the Beijing-Shanghai corridor," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    17. Asep Yayat Nurhidayat & Hera Widyastuti & Sutikno & Dwi Phalita Upahita, 2023. "Research on Passengers’ Preferences and Impact of High-Speed Rail on Air Transport Demand," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-26, February.
    18. Strauss, Jack & Li, Hongchang & Cui, Jinli, 2021. "High-speed Rail's impact on airline demand and air carbon emissions in China," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 85-97.
    19. Gu, Hongyi & Wan, Yulai, 2020. "Can entry of high-speed rail increase air traffic? Price competition, travel time difference and catchment expansion," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 55-72.
    20. Rategh, Yalda & Tamannaei, Mohammad & Zarei, Hamid, 2022. "A game-theoretic approach to an oligopolistic transportation market: Coopetition between incumbent systems subject to the entrance threat of an HSR service," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 165(C), pages 144-171.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:ecotra:v:39:y:2024:i:c:s2212012224000194. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/ecotra .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.