The case for internalising externalities in a sustainable rail asset base

Although the concept of sustainability and Sustainable development has tended to be mostly associated with the management of natural resources and the consequent environmental impact, the most accepted definition draws together its social, economic and environmental dimensions. The rail industry, as...

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Main Authors: Langdon, Mark, Gillott, Mark C., Rodrigues, Lucélia Taranto, Parry, Tony
Format: Article
Published: ICE Publishing 2016
Subjects:
Online Access:https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/35807/
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author Langdon, Mark
Gillott, Mark C.
Rodrigues, Lucélia Taranto
Parry, Tony
author_facet Langdon, Mark
Gillott, Mark C.
Rodrigues, Lucélia Taranto
Parry, Tony
author_sort Langdon, Mark
building Nottingham Research Data Repository
collection Online Access
description Although the concept of sustainability and Sustainable development has tended to be mostly associated with the management of natural resources and the consequent environmental impact, the most accepted definition draws together its social, economic and environmental dimensions. The rail industry, as provider of a low carbon transport system, is well placed to have a significant role to play in promoting an environmental, economic and social balance that can be sustained and afforded for the foreseeable future. The paper suggests that a more comprehensive perspective on the scope of a sustainable intervention in rail infrastructure assets is needed, arguing that the necessary whole life evaluation process should include an additional positive externality: the uplift in knowledge, skill and expertise that comes about as a result of participation in projects and programmes. The inclusion of this benefit would provide a more accurate representation of value to support investment decision making and strengthen the case for a broader funding base. And that the demonstration of the correlation between participation in projects and programmes and the consequent uplift in skill, knowledge and expertise could be used to shift the emphasis in rail project planning.
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spelling nottingham-358072020-05-04T18:09:30Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/35807/ The case for internalising externalities in a sustainable rail asset base Langdon, Mark Gillott, Mark C. Rodrigues, Lucélia Taranto Parry, Tony Although the concept of sustainability and Sustainable development has tended to be mostly associated with the management of natural resources and the consequent environmental impact, the most accepted definition draws together its social, economic and environmental dimensions. The rail industry, as provider of a low carbon transport system, is well placed to have a significant role to play in promoting an environmental, economic and social balance that can be sustained and afforded for the foreseeable future. The paper suggests that a more comprehensive perspective on the scope of a sustainable intervention in rail infrastructure assets is needed, arguing that the necessary whole life evaluation process should include an additional positive externality: the uplift in knowledge, skill and expertise that comes about as a result of participation in projects and programmes. The inclusion of this benefit would provide a more accurate representation of value to support investment decision making and strengthen the case for a broader funding base. And that the demonstration of the correlation between participation in projects and programmes and the consequent uplift in skill, knowledge and expertise could be used to shift the emphasis in rail project planning. ICE Publishing 2016-09-27 Article PeerReviewed Langdon, Mark, Gillott, Mark C., Rodrigues, Lucélia Taranto and Parry, Tony (2016) The case for internalising externalities in a sustainable rail asset base. Infrastructure Asset Management, 3 (3). pp. 97-105. ISSN 2053-0250 Knowledge management; Social impact; Sustainability http://www.icevirtuallibrary.com/doi/10.1680/jinam.14.00026 doi:10.1680/jinam.14.00026 doi:10.1680/jinam.14.00026
spellingShingle Knowledge management; Social impact; Sustainability
Langdon, Mark
Gillott, Mark C.
Rodrigues, Lucélia Taranto
Parry, Tony
The case for internalising externalities in a sustainable rail asset base
title The case for internalising externalities in a sustainable rail asset base
title_full The case for internalising externalities in a sustainable rail asset base
title_fullStr The case for internalising externalities in a sustainable rail asset base
title_full_unstemmed The case for internalising externalities in a sustainable rail asset base
title_short The case for internalising externalities in a sustainable rail asset base
title_sort case for internalising externalities in a sustainable rail asset base
topic Knowledge management; Social impact; Sustainability
url https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/35807/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/35807/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/35807/