Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.2478/otmcj-2019-0007
The Planning and Appraisal of Mega Transport Infrastructure Projects Delivered by Public–Private Partnerships: The Case for the Use of Policy-Led Multi-Criteria Analysis
John Ward
orcid.org/0000-0001-6756-8432
; Bartlett School of Planning, University College London, 14 Upper Woburn Place, London WC1H 0NN
Harry T Dimitriou
; Bartlett School of Planning, University College London, 14 Upper Woburn Place, London WC1H 0NN
Brian G Field
; Bartlett School of Planning, University College London, 14 Upper Woburn Place, London WC1H 0NN
Marco Dean
; Bartlett School of Planning, University College London, 14 Upper Woburn Place, London WC1H 0NN
Abstract
Mega transport infrastructure projects are frequently
perceived as critical to the “success” of major metropolitan,
regional and national development because of
their potential to affect significant socioeconomic and
territorial changes. However, the mega infrastructure
development literature tends to focus upon the frequent
failures of such projects because of their inability to meet
their original expectations.
A major cause for such perceived underperformance has
been attributed to the inadequacies of ex-ante project
appraisal methodologies. In particular, their excessively
narrow focus has prompted growing calls for broader and
more transparent project appraisal frameworks. These calls
coincide with a period where public private partnerships
(PPPs) are growing in importance globally as the favoured
procurement route for governments looking to undertake
new mega transport infrastructure developments. Some
see the practicalities of PPPs as placing them at odds with
aspirations for more inclusive and open project appraisal
with adequate consideration of the public interest.
It is the authors’ contention that if introduced with broader
and more systematically presented sustainability concerns,
PPPs can remain compatible with such ambitions.
Towards this end, this paper presents the rudimentaries
of a policy-led multi-criteria analysis (PLMCA) approach
to project appraisal as a means by which PLMCA can
contribute to more holistic PPP procurement practices.
The authors contend in the latter part of the paper that
PLMCA addresses many of the limitations associated with
the application of narrower decision-making and project
appraisal approaches currently supporting PPPs and
other more conventional procurement practices.
Keywords
infrastructure; MTPs; PPPs; planning; multicriteria appraisal
Hrčak ID:
224593
URI
Publication date:
1.2.2019.
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