ERSA 50th conference
Jonkoping (Sweden), August 19-23, 2010
Territorial cohesion of Europe and integrative planning
ERSA-NECTAR Special Session on
High-Speed Rail as a new transport network
Call for papers
The inauguration of High-Speed Rail (HSR) in Japan, over 40 years ago, created a new transport network, which since became the main mode of transport for most long-distance journeys in that country. In Europe, the HSR services which were launched about 20 years later were capable of running also on the conventional rail network, but nevertheless also created a new transport network. The new transport network is unique in many respects and has important and specific spatial effects, on the territories where it traverses, as well as those it bypass or haven't yet reached.
There is a relative dearth of evidence on the spatial effects of HSR development and operation and on its transport effects across the whole transport system (rail, road and air) - the network effects. Especially of interest is how the HSR can, or cannot, affects and changes the social and economic landscape (at the urban, regional, national and also continental levels), and especially in those areas it does not serve directly. Now that HSR development, and its expansion to new countries (notably the US and UK) is high on the political and planning agendas in many places, very much due to its perceived economic and environmental benefits, it is crucial to provide evidence on these wider impacts.
Papers addressing the above issues in countries with HSR experience and in countries which only now starting to consider it are invited for this special session.
Relevant topics include:
- Does HSR contribute to (local or regional) economic development or only to redistribution of it
- Who get access and use HSR services (and for what purposes) and who do not
- Mode substitution and traffic generation effects of HSR operation across the transport network (surface and air networks)
- Changes in accessibility across the transport network as a result of HSR development
- (HSR) station location, its integration with the urban transport network and its impact on local urban development