The problem

The issues of how to fund transport infrastructure and develop appropriate pricing systems lie at the heart of transport policy. However, there is no commonly accepted European knowledge base to allow policy makers to compare options and develop new policies. This knowledge gap has grown with the expansion of the EU and the very varied transport infrastructures in the newer Member States. There is a clear need to investigate transport cost allocation and pricing structures across the EU so as to gather the knowledge required to develop sustainable policies and pricing structures for the future.

Overview:

CATRIN will investigate the economics of all modes of transport, focusing on the principles underlying pricing policies, in search of policy recommendations that can promote sustainable transport.

The project will:

• Clarify the current position on allocating infrastructure costs and the different approaches to recovering these costs
• Give particular attention to the transport policy needs of the new Member States
• Test a variety of approaches for allocating transport costs and a range of pricing strategies

Contribution to policy development:

• CATRIN will provide data to support the European Transport Policy on the Implementation of Transport Pricing
• It will promote greatly improved understanding of the situation in the new Member States
• A common knowledge base that can be used to support progressive pricing policies and associated legislation across the entire EU
• A strong focus on simple recommendations, despite the complexity of the underlying issues

Project deliverables

• Survey of cost-allocation practices in the European transport sector – November 2007
• Study of transport policy and pricing in the new Member States – February 2008
• Research results and recommendations on allocation of infrastructure costs in the road, rail, air and sea transport sectors – November 2008
• Outline of a European road damage test – January 2009
• Final conclusions and recommendations – April 2009

Dissemination

• Project website with all results and deliverables – June 2007
• Seminars organised in co-operation with the IMPRINT-NET Project – November 2007, April 2008, November 2008 and April 2009
• Meetings with three infrastructure committees – nine events
• Presentations at relevant national and international conferences – as appropriate
• Formal publication of results in academic journals and policy communications – ongoing

Technical information

Project acronym: CATRIN
Project’s official full title: Cost Allocation of Transport Infrastructure Cost
Research priority: The development of tools, indicators and operational parameters for assessing sustainable transport and energy systems performance (economic, environmental and social)
Specific webpage: not available
Proposal/contract no: 038422
Start date: 01 May 2007
Kick off meeting: 21 May 2007
Completion date: 31 April 2009
European Commission scientific officer: Frederik Rasmussen, Frederik.RASMUSSEN@ec.europa.eu

Coordinator:
Name: Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute
Abbreviated name: VTI
Address: 581 95 Linköping
Country: Sweden
Tel: +46 13 20 40 00
Fax: +46 13 14 14 36
Website: http://www.vti.se/

Partners

Name: University of Gdansk
Abbreviated name: UG
Country: Poland

Name: Institute for Transport Studies, University of Leeds
Abbreviated name: ITS
Country: UK

Name: Deutsches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung e.V.
Abbreviated name: DIW
Country: Germany

Name: Istituto di Studi per l’Iintegrazione dei Sistemi
Abbreviated name: ISIS
Country: Italy

Name: Ecoplan
Abbreviated name: Ecoplan
Country: Switzerland

Name: Manchester Metropolitan University
Abbreviated name: MMU
Country: United Kingdom

Name: TUV Vienna University of Technology Institute for Road Construction and Maintenance
Abbreviated name: TUV-ISTU
Country: Austria

Name: EIT, University of Las Palmas
Abbreviated name: EIT
Country: Spain

Name: Swedish Maritime Administration
Abbreviated name: SMA
Country: Sweden

Name: University of Turku, Centre for Maritime Studies
Abbreviated name: CMS
Country: Finland