Research on wider social benefits of local public transportation

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K04740
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 22050:Civil engineering plan and transportation engineering-related
• Research Institution: Kansai University
• Principal Investigator: Utsunomiya Kiyohito 関西大学, 経済学部, 教授 (70334589)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 地域公共交通 / 広義社会的便益 / 費用便益分析 / 存在効果 / 時間価値 / ソーシャルキャピタル

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A nationwide survey revealed that many people in Japan feel that railway operators have an impact on the attractiveness of cities and have high expectations for the various effects associated with the presence of railways. Questionnaire surveys conducted throughout Japan and along the Hitachinaka-Kaihin Railway showed that the time value for children was equal to or higher than that for adults. This means that social benefits calculated on the assumption that they are equal to those for adults could be underestimated.
On the other hand, from the questionnaire survey in Austria, 30% of the respondents indicated that they felt some change in their "relationships with others" after the opening of the new tram system, suggesting the impact of improved public transportation services on social capital.

Free Research Field

交通経済学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究から、伝統的な便益計算に含まれない鉄道の存在価値があることが判明したほか、費用便益分析で用いられる時間価値について、子どもの時間価値が過小評価されている可能性があることが示された。また、地域公共交通のサービス改善がソーシャルキャピタルの醸成につながるという点でも、広義社会的便益を考慮する必要があるとの結果になった。従前の費用便益分析では投資がなされなかった地域公共交通について、投資を行うことで広義社会的便益が得られる可能性がある。そのことは、日本の地域公共交通の政策転換の必要性を示すといえる。