Guide to COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS of investment projects - Ramiri

- the functional incorporation of the designed infrastructure into the existing or planned transportsystem (urban, regional, interregional or national), in order to consider network effects.- the consistency of the designed infrastructure and of its management and operation with national andEuropean transport policies: fiscal policies (i.e. taxes on fuel), proposed pricing schemes,environmental constraints or target, other incentives/transfers to the sector, technological standards.- the degree of consistency with any other development project and/or plan that may be drawn up forthe investment area, also taking into consideration projects and/or plans related to sectors that couldhave impacts on transport demand (land use, development plans).Regulatory frameworkRegulation of the transport sector has significantly evolved over the past ten years. This evolution hasarisen from the need to overcome the inefficiency of monopolistic systems by introducing competition fortransportation services and regulation instruments for ‘natural monopolies’, i.e. for infrastructures.From a Community viewpoint, the European Union has gradually developed specific actions andrecommendations for the Member Countries, starting in the 1990s. As regards actions, Communityinterventions have mainly focussed on the development of the infrastructure network (Trans EuropeanNetworks – Transport, TEN-T), on regulation and competition among and between modes, and onsetting prices correctly (including charging for infrastructure use and internalisation of external costs).REGULATORY FRAMEWORKWhite papersFuture development of the Common Transport Policy - White Paper/COM/1992/494Fair payment for infrastructure use: a phased approach to a common transport infrastructure charging framework in the EU -White Paper /COM/1998/0466 finalEuropean transport policy for 2010: time to decide - White Paper/ COM/2001Keep Europe moving - Sustainable mobility for our continent Mid-term review of the European Commission’s 2001 TransportWhite Paper/COM/2006/314Trans European Networks - Transport (TEN-T)Decision 1996/1692/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 July 1996 on community guidelines for thedevelopment of the trans-European transport networkDecision 2004/884/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Decision 1692/96/EC on communityguidelines for the development of the trans- European transport networksTrans- European Networks: Towards an integrated approach, COM/2007/0135Community financingRegulation 2004/807/EC of the European Parliament and the Council amending Council Regulation (EC) 2236/95 laying downgeneral rules for the granting of the Community financial aid in the field of trans-European networksPricingDirective 2006/38/EC ‘Eurovignette’ amending Directive 1999/62/EC on the charging of heavy goods vehicles for the use ofcertain infrastructures (see following box)Directive 2004/49/EC amending Directive 2001/14/EC on the allocation of railway infrastructure capacity and the levying ofcharges for the use of railway infrastructure and safety certificationAirport charges COM/1997/154Green Paper on seaports and maritime infrastructure COM/1997/678)3.1.1.3 Feasibility and option analysisAnalysis of the demandThe estimation of the existing demand and forecasts for the future are complex and critical tasks thatoften consume a substantial share of the resources allocated to the feasibility study. As to the referencescenario (BAU or the do-minimum scenario), the following aspects should be made clear:- the area of influence of the project: it is important to identify the demand without the project and theimpact of the new infrastructure, as well as identifying other transport modes that should beconsidered (e.g. corridors, where there are often several modes in competition: road, rail and airtransport);71