Newcastle University

Economic and Environmental Appraisal of Transport Activities

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This course provides an understanding of the process of the appraisal of transport schemes with the emphasis on economic and environmental appraisal.

The course is offered as a two-week module to postgraduate taught students, with the title Appraisal of Transport Schemes. CPD delegates are welcome to attend the first week.

Course Objectives

Upon completion of the course, delegates will:

• achieve familiarity with the techniques and methods of economic and environmental appraisal, and their applications
• have an appreciation of the strengths and weaknesses of the methods for assessment of transport activity
• understand and be able to demonstrate the applications of transport appraisal techniques
• be able to critically assess the application of methods of transport appraisal.

Course Outline

• Introduction to sustainability; economy, environment and social objectives
• Purpose of appraisal
• Introduction to the New Approach to Appraisal (NATA) process, NATA Refresh
• Economic Principles in Transport Appraisal
• Principles of Discounted Cash Flow, Present Value and Net Present value
• Techniques of cost-benefit analysis
• Economic Objective in NATA
• Transport Economic Efficiency
• Valuation of time, vehicle operating cost, accidents
• COBA Software
• TUBA (Transport User Benefit Assessment) Software
• Environment Objectives in NATA
• Local air quality; problems and solutions; assessment for NATA
• Greenhouse gases; problems and solutions; assessment for NATA
• Noise; problems and solutions; assessment for NATA
• Landscape/Townscape/Biodiversity/Water and other drinking objectives in NATA and their assessment
• Multi-criteria assessment (MCA) and comparison and ranking of alternatives.

Who is the course aimed at?

This course is aimed at those at an intermediate level who seek new knowledge of the concept of the economic and environmental appraisal of transport activities following the transport appraisal guidance outlined in the New Approach to Appraisal (NATA). The participants will have a better understanding of the purposes of transport appraisal, keeping sustainability principles in mind; economic principles required for the economic assessment of transport activities; environmental issues relating to transport activities; and the tools and methods for the environmental assessment of transport activities.

Presenters

School of Civil Engineering and Geosciences

• Dr Anil Namdeo (Course Leader)
• Mr Roger Bird
• Dr Paul Goodman
• Dr Lionel Hubbard

[ Book online ]

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