Transport and Infrastructure

This research seeks to address policy issues, such as the impact and effectiveness of large infrastructural investments, the return to these investments, their effect on the quality of the environment, and the overall contribution of the transport sector.

In 2007 transport and infrastructure research was focused on energy use of transport and its environmental impact, reflecting current policy concerns. For example research on the impact a kerosene tax on international tourism has shown that such a tax would disproportionately raise the price of short-haul flights.

Extensive research on Investment Priorities, carried out for the Department of Finance as a background study for the formulation of the Irish National Development Plans, have shown high returns for transport infrastructure investment.

Research on energy use in Irish freight transport identified the disproportional contribution of the building and construction sector to freight transport and has identified a number of constraints that will limit the potential to shift freight traffic to modes other than road freight. As part of a major research project to construct a Sustainable Development Research Model, researchers have analysed the value and impact of transport infrastructure investments, such as road by-passes and railway stations (Mayor et al., ESRI, 2008). This work not only shows that the impact is spatially limited but also shows that the impact changes at different stages of construction.

Building on current work, future research will look at the changing nature of infrastructure and transport demand by households and firms, in response to:

• Economic and population growth.
• Changes in the roads network and provision of public transport.
• Regulatory change, such as congestion charges and sectoral deregulation.
• Transport-flow modelling.
• Regulation of transport.
• Changes in land-use.

A particular feature of future research will be the interconnections between energy and transport, in the context of (i) changing energy sources and technologies, and (ii) climate change policy. The research will contribute to and draw on the HERMES- ISus macroeconomic/environment model.

Other members of staff who work in this area include: Hugh Hennessy,  Sean Lyons, Laura Malaguzzi Valeri, Karen Mayor, Anne Nolan, and  Richard Tol.

ESRI research in transport and infrastructure is closely linked to research in competition and regulation, energy, environment and natural resources, and Macroeconomics.