Public transport investments as generators of economic and social activity

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Public transport investments as generators of economic and social activity

Alhassan, Jacob Albin Korem; Anciaes, Paulo; (2025) Public transport investments as generators of economic and social activity. Journal of Transport & Health , 41 , Article 101989. 10.1016/j.jth.2025.101989. Green open access

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Abstract

Background: High-quality public transport systems increase accessibility, which is linked to wider economic and social benefits that improve the health of the populations served. This paper reviews evidence on the existence and magnitude of these wider benefits. // Methods: We searched for academic studies that evaluated the effects of specific public transport investments or disinvestments on levels of economic and social activity. // Results: Public transport improvements increase economic activity, both at an aggregate level (higher gross domestic product) and household level (higher income), although the effect can be geographically imbalanced. Better public transport boosts employment but tends to increase house prices, leading to gentrification, although suitable policies can prevent this effect. Public transport improves social connections, especially for older people in isolated rural areas. In urban areas, it can reduce connections due to barriers to pedestrians. Disinvestment in public transport, such as closure of bus services, has multiple economic and social costs, although the evidence is still scarce. // Conclusions: Public transport has potentially wide but possibly unequal economic and social benefits.

Type:	Article
Title:	Public transport investments as generators of economic and social activity
Open access status:	An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI:	10.1016/j.jth.2025.101989
Publisher version:	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jth.2025.101989
Language:	English
Additional information:	Copyright © 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/).
Keywords:	Public transport; Transit; Rail; High-speed rail; Bus; Accessibility; Economic growth; Employment; Social capital; Social interaction; Equity
UCL classification:	UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of the Built Environment UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of the Built Environment > Bartlett School Env, Energy and Resources
URI:	https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10203891