Metz calls time on UK’s ‘flawed’ method of transport appraisal

Time savings have been at the heart of transport scheme appraisal in the UK for almost 50 years. But David Metz believes the emphasis is misconceived. He tells Andrew Forster we should be studying how transport projects affect land values instead

There can’t be many civil servants who have gone on to lead revolutions. But David Metz hopes to be one. The DfT’s former chief scientist wants to overthrow the current way we appraise transport projects. Time savings for travellers are typically the biggest benefit of a transport scheme and, once given a monetised value, they help drive the benefit:cost ratio calculation. But Metz says time savings are transient and the major lasting benefit of transport investment is the uplift it...

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