Auction mechanisms commonly used in practice for awarding infrastructure concession contracts induce a bias towards the selection of concessionaires who are optimistic about demand, but are not necessarily cost-efficient. This helps to explain the frequent renegotiation of concessions observed...

This paper presents a new mechanism for awarding tolled-highways, based on the variable-term concept proposed by Engel et al (1997). These authors claim that a mechanism based on bids for least-present-value of revenue (LPVR) eliminates the risk of demand and simplifies renegotiations. However,...

Public transport (urban and intercity) is organized in Spain both through concession contracts and public ownership. The regulator fixes prices and level of services,as well as the level of subsidy. This paper examines the regulated system in the Spanish bus industry in the last decades.

Private sector participation in infrastructure projects traditionally financed by governments (roads, airports, seaports) is increasing around the world. This paper describes how a toll road concession works. It discusses how the usual mechanism, based on a concession contract with a...

This paper revises the underlining principles of the European transport policy and analizes how these principle have been translated into policy in the recent past. The analysis is based in three ideas: the vertical integration/unbundling of infrastructure and services as a mechanism which...

High Speed Railways (HSR) is currently regarded as one of the most significant technological breakthroughs in passenger transportation developed in the second half of the 20th century. At the beginning of 2008 there were about 10,000 kilometres of new high speed lines in operation around the...

Las infraestructuras tienen características que complican su provisión directa en el mercado, haciendo necesaria una implicación directa del sector público en su construcción y funcionamiento, e indirecta, mediante contratos de participación público-privada. Su mitificación social ha...

The case for building new High Speed Rail (HSR) infrastructure depends its the capacity to generate social benefits which compensate for the construction, maintenance and operation costs. Decisions to invest in this technology have not always been based on sound economic analysis. A mix of...

Desde 1990 la Administración General del Estado ha venido financiando el transporte urbano y metropolitano a través de diversos Contratos-Programas y Convenios de Financiación de Infraestructuras Ferroviarias. El objetivo de este trabajo es analizar los efectos que las distintas formas de...

Private participation in the construction and operation of road infrastructure ia a way to deal with tight budget constraints and increasing demand for additional road capacity. Fixed term concessions has been the standard contract between the the public sector and private operators with poor...