Selecting and Applying Indicators for Transport Project Appraisal Dr Greg Marsden

Outline Project Appraisal Limitations with current approach New indicators Next steps

Project Appraisal “Appraisal is the process of checking that value for money is achieved in delivering Government aims” (UK DfT) “to help design and select projects that contribute to the welfare of a country” (World Bank) “to develop sound and objective information necessary for informed decision making” (FTA)

Project Appraisal Transport appraisal UK - Required for all schemes > $9.6M Current Situation Do NothingOption AOption B

Project Appraisal Environment –10 sub-objectives (local air quality, noise, greenhouse gases, biodiversity, heritage…) Economy –5 sub-objectives (VfM, consumer and producer benefits…) Safety –2 sub-objectives (accidents, security) Accessibility –3 sub-objectives (options, severance, physical) Integration –3 sub-objectives (interchange, land-use, other policies)

Strategic Environmental Assessment Since July 2004 (parallel to EIS) Applies to plans and programmes Only requires environmental assessment Process –Baseline, problems, indicators, alternatives… Report on –positive / negative –scale –magnitude –time scale –frequency –duration, –direct/indirect –cumulative

Limitations Appraisal hides absolute impacts Limit guidelines ignored Cumulative effects ignored Long-term impacts ‘discounted’ Many aspects of sustainability ignored –12 indicators reported –3 indicators strongly related –24 indicators not considered

Limitations

X X X X X X

Selection Good measures of sustainable outcomes –Total CO 2, CO 2 /capita, CO 2 /trip Capable of measurement –estimation/forecast Sensitive to spatial change –e.g. air quality levels vs. toxic emissions Capture distributional impacts Understandable/rational

Application Importance of a core common approach –National guidance Outcome indicators are vital –Avoid specifying solutions –Allows for more consistent benchmarking Supported by meaningful process (output) indicators Absolute and relative changes Importance of changes

Questions For further information: