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The spatial impacts of a massive rail disinvestment program: The Beeching Axe

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  • Gibbons, Stephen
  • Heblich, Stephan
  • Pinchbeck, Edward W.

Abstract

This paper investigates the reversibility of the effects of transport infrastructure investments, based on a programme that removed much of the rail network in Britain during the mid-20th century. We find that a 10% loss in rail access between 1950 and 1980 caused a persistent 3% decline in local population relative to unaffected areas, implying that the 1 in 5 places most exposed to the cuts saw 24 percentage points less population growth than the 1 in 5 places that were least exposed. The cuts reduced local jobs and shares of skilled workers and young people.

Suggested Citation

  • Gibbons, Stephen & Heblich, Stephan & Pinchbeck, Edward W., 2024. "The spatial impacts of a massive rail disinvestment program: The Beeching Axe," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 143(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:juecon:v:143:y:2024:i:c:s0094119024000615
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jue.2024.103691
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    Cited by:

    1. Woan Foong Wong & Simon Fuchs, 2022. "Multimodal Transport Networks," FRB Atlanta Working Paper 2022-13, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, revised Oct 2024.
    2. Flintz, Joschka, 2024. "The value of passenger rail access," Ruhr Economic Papers 1114, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Rail; Infrastructure; Beeching cuts;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H54 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Infrastructures
    • R1 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics
    • R4 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Transportation Economics
    • N74 - Economic History - - Economic History: Transport, International and Domestic Trade, Energy, and Other Services - - - Europe: 1913-

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