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Chapter 2 Transport user charges and cost recovery

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  • de Palma, André
  • Lindsey, Robin

Abstract

According to the celebrated cost recovery theorem, the degree of cost recovery from optimal user charges depends on the extent of scale economies in user costs, infrastructure construction costs and operating costs. This chapter presents the theorem, and reviews various generalisations of it. It then summarises empirical evidence by transport mode on the degree of scale economies or diseconomies in usage and in infrastructure, and the predicted surpluses or deficits with efficient pricing and investment. It also discusses some of the practical challenges in translating the cost recovery theorem into policy.

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  • de Palma, André & Lindsey, Robin, 2007. "Chapter 2 Transport user charges and cost recovery," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 19(1), pages 29-57, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:retrec:v:19:y:2007:i:1:p:29-57
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    Cited by:

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    2. Lindsey, Robin & de Palma, André, 2014. "Cost recovery from congestion tolls with long-run uncertainty," Economics of Transportation, Elsevier, vol. 3(2), pages 119-132.
    3. Lindsey, Robin, 2012. "Road pricing and investment," Economics of Transportation, Elsevier, vol. 1(1), pages 49-63.
    4. Bruno DE BORGER & Stefan PROOST, 2012. "Policies to reduce traffic externalities in cities," Working Papers of Department of Economics, Leuven ces12.10, KU Leuven, Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB), Department of Economics, Leuven.
    5. Vincent van den Berg, "undated". "Self-financing roads under coarse tolling and heterogeneous preferences," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 22-045/VIII, Tinbergen Institute.
    6. Kockelman, Kara M. & Lemp, Jason D., 2011. "Anticipating new-highway impacts: Opportunities for welfare analysis and credit-based congestion pricing," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 45(8), pages 825-838, October.
    7. De Borger, Bruno & Dunkerley, Fay & Proost, Stef, 2009. "Capacity cost structure, welfare and cost recovery: Are transport infrastructures with high fixed costs a handicap?," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 43(5), pages 506-521, June.
    8. Kidokoro, Yukihiro & Lin, Ming Hsin & Zhang, Anming, 2016. "A general-equilibrium analysis of airport pricing, capacity, and regulation," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 142-155.
    9. De Borger, Bruno & Proost, Stef, 2015. "The political economy of public transport pricing and supply decisions," Economics of Transportation, Elsevier, vol. 4(1), pages 95-109.
    10. Bruno Borger & Stef Proost, 2016. "The political economy of pricing and capacity decisions for congestible local public goods in a federal state," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 23(5), pages 934-959, October.
    11. Schubert, Daniel & Sys, Christa & Vanelslander, Thierry & Roumboutsos, Athena, 2022. "No-queue road pricing: A comprehensive policy instrument for Europe?," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    12. Pratik Verma & Shaurya Agarwal & Pushkin Kachroo & Anjala Krishen, 2017. "Declining transportation funding and need for analytical solutions: dynamics and control of VMT tax," Journal of Marketing Analytics, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 5(3), pages 131-140, December.
    13. Hörcher, Daniel & Tirachini, Alejandro, 2021. "A review of public transport economics," Economics of Transportation, Elsevier, vol. 25(C).
    14. Zhang, Junlin & Lindsey, Robin & Yang, Hai, 2018. "Public transit service frequency and fares with heterogeneous users under monopoly and alternative regulatory policies," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 117(PA), pages 190-208.
    15. Verhoef, Erik T., 2017. "Cost recovery of congested infrastructure under market power," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 45-56.
    16. Kidokoro, Yukihiro & Zhang, Anming, 2018. "Airport congestion pricing and cost recovery with side business," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 114(PA), pages 222-236.

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