IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/trapol/v58y2017icp1-9.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Are statutory passenger watchdogs effective in representing passenger interests in public transport?

Author

Listed:
  • Thao, Vu Thi
  • Wegelin, Philipp
  • von Arx, Widar

Abstract

In recent years, concerns over effective consumer representation of public transport users have increased considerably, as public transport has undergone substantial regulatory reforms. The ultimate goal of deregulation is to protect and benefit the public at large. Hence, this paper explores how this goal is being pursued by examining the roles of statutory, independent passenger watchdogs and their relationships with authorities and operators in regulated and deregulated bus regimes. Drawing on a case study of London TravelWatch and Transport Focus in Great Britain, our findings show that statutory passenger watchdogs are effective in representing passenger interests due to four factors in particular: the organizational setting, research-based evidence, accommodating relationships, and public outreach. The paper also documents the differences in how these passenger watchdogs build their relationships with key stakeholders and work with them within the strategic-tactical-operational framework.

Suggested Citation

  • Thao, Vu Thi & Wegelin, Philipp & von Arx, Widar, 2017. "Are statutory passenger watchdogs effective in representing passenger interests in public transport?," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 1-9.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:trapol:v:58:y:2017:i:c:p:1-9
    DOI: 10.1016/j.tranpol.2017.04.008
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0967070X16302712
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.tranpol.2017.04.008?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Schaaffkamp, Christoph, 2014. "How can customer focus be strengthened in competitive tendering?," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 305-314.
    2. White, Peter R., 2010. "The conflict between competition policy and the wider role of the local bus industry in Britain," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 29(1), pages 152-158.
    3. Mokonyama, Mathetha & Venter, Christoffel, 2013. "Incorporation of customer satisfaction in public transport contracts – A preliminary analysis," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 39(1), pages 58-66.
    4. Cass, Noel & Faulconbridge, James, 2016. "Commuting practices: New insights into modal shift from theories of social practice," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 1-14.
    5. van de Velde, D. M., 1999. "Organisational forms and entrepreneurship in public transport: classifying organisational forms," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 6(3), pages 147-157, July.
    6. Amaral, Miguel, 2008. "Public vs private management of public utilities - The case of urban public transport in Europe," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 22(1), pages 85-90, January.
    7. Peter White, 2010. "Public Transport and its Users: The Passenger’s Perspective in Planning and Customer Care," Transport Reviews, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(6), pages 805-806, November.
    8. Jacek Maślankowski, 2015. "Big Data quality analysis on data retrieved from websites," Collegium of Economic Analysis Annals, Warsaw School of Economics, Collegium of Economic Analysis, issue 38, pages 167-178.
    9. van de Velde, Didier & Preston, John, 2013. "Workshop 3B: Governance, ownership and competition issues in deregulated (free market) public transport: Lessons that can be learnt from developed and developing economies," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 39(1), pages 202-207.
    10. Anonymous, 1947. "The General Assembly," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 1(1), pages 46-73, February.
    11. Hansson, Lisa, 2010. "Solving procurement problems in public transport: Examining multi-principal roles in relation to effective control mechanisms," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 29(1), pages 124-132.
    12. Alexandersson, Gunnar & Hulten, Staffan, 2006. "Competitive tenders in passenger railway services: Looking into the theory and practice of different approaches in Europe," European Transport \ Trasporti Europei, ISTIEE, Institute for the Study of Transport within the European Economic Integration, issue 33, pages 6-28.
    13. -, 2009. "Introducción Al Idioma Japonés," Observatorio Iberoamericano de la Economía y la Sociedad del Japón, Servicios Académicos Intercontinentales SL, issue 4, January.
    14. Preston, John & Almutairi, Talal, 2013. "Evaluating the long term impacts of transport policy: An initial assessment of bus deregulation," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 39(1), pages 208-214.
    15. Miguel Amaral, 2008. "Public vs private management of public utilities: The case of urban public transport in Europe," Post-Print hal-00649931, HAL.
    16. Miguel Amaral, 2008. "Public vs private management of public utilities: The case of urban public transport in Europe," Université Paris1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (Post-Print and Working Papers) hal-00649931, HAL.
    17. Bonsall, Peter, 2000. "Legislating for modal shift: background to the UK's new transport act," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 7(3), pages 179-184, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Yona, Moran & Birfir, Genadi & Kaplan, Sigal, 2021. "Data science and GIS-based system analysis of transit passenger complaints to improve operations and planning," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 133-144.
    2. Kistler, Beat & Trischler, Jakob & Lohmann, Gui, 2018. "Passenger representation within the light-handed regulation – Insights from the Australian air transport market," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 106-115.
    3. McTigue, Clare & Monios, Jason & Rye, Tom, 2020. "The principal-agent problem in contracting public transport provision to private operators: A case study of the UK Quality Contract Scheme," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. McTigue, Clare & Monios, Jason & Rye, Tom, 2020. "The principal-agent problem in contracting public transport provision to private operators: A case study of the UK Quality Contract Scheme," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    2. Andrea ZATTI, 2011. "Organizational models in European local public transport: is the new paradigm really dominant," Departmental Working Papers 2011-29, Department of Economics, Management and Quantitative Methods at Università degli Studi di Milano.
    3. Andrea ZATTI, 2012. "New Organizational Models In European Local Public Transport: From Myth To Reality," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 83(4), pages 533-559, December.
    4. Quiroz Flores, Alejandro & Pfaff, Katharina, 2021. "Private provision of public goods and political survival: Rail transport in four European democracies in the 20th century," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    5. Zhang, Chunqin & Xiao, Guangnian & Liu, Yong & Yu, Feng, 2018. "The relationship between organizational forms and the comprehensive effectiveness for public transport services in China?," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 783-802.
    6. Emerson, David & Mulley, Corinne & Bliemer, Michiel C.J., 2016. "A theoretical analysis of business models for urban public transport systems, with comparative reference to a Community Franchise involving Individual Line Ownership," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 368-378.
    7. van de Velde, Didier, 2014. "Market initiative regimes in public transport in Europe: Recent developments," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 33-40.
    8. van de Velde, Didier & Augustin, Katrin, 2014. "Workshop 4 Report: Governance, ownership and competition in deregulated public transport markets," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 237-244.
    9. Chang, Zheng & Phang, Sock-Yong, 2017. "Urban rail transit PPPs: Lessons from East Asian cities," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 106-122.
    10. João M. Pinto & Mário Coutinho dos Santos & Pedro Verga Matos, 2021. "Contracting Out Public Transit Services: An Incentive Performance-Based Approach," Working Papers de Economia (Economics Working Papers) 02, Católica Porto Business School, Universidade Católica Portuguesa.
    11. Giacomo Di Foggia & Ugo Arrigo, 2015. "The scope of public organisations with productive functions: insights from the inefficiency of Italian local public transport," European Journal of Government and Economics, Europa Grande, vol. 4(2), pages 134-154, December.
    12. Matthias Aistleitner & Christian Grimm & Jakob Kapeller, 2018. "Auftragsvergabe, Leistungsqualitaet und Kostenintensitaet im Schienenpersonenverkehr. Eine internationale Perspektive," ICAE Working Papers 86, Johannes Kepler University, Institute for Comprehensive Analysis of the Economy.
    13. Bajada, Thérèse & Titheridge, Helena, 2016. "To contract or to operate publicly? Observations from the bus service reform transition process in Malta," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 281-291.
    14. Friese, Maria & Heimeshoff, Ulrich & Klein, Gordon J., 2020. "Property rights and transaction costs – The role of ownership and organization in German public service provision," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    15. Ryzhkov, Alexander & Sarzhan, Yuliya, 2020. "Market initiative and central planning: A study of the Moscow bus network," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    16. Ida, Yoram & Talit, Gal, 2015. "Regulation of public bus services: The Israeli experience," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 156-165.
    17. Carlo Vittorio FIORIO & Massimo FLORIO & Giovanni PERUCCA, 2011. "Consumers’ satisfaction and regulation of local public transport: evidence from European cities," Departmental Working Papers 2011-26, Department of Economics, Management and Quantitative Methods at Università degli Studi di Milano.
    18. McTigue, Clare & Monios, Jason & Rye, Tom, 2018. "Identifying barriers to implementation of local transport policy: An analysis of bus policy in Great Britain," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 133-143.
    19. Wegelin, Philipp & von Arx, Widar, 2016. "The impact of alternative governance forms of regional public rail transport on transaction costs. Case evidence from Germany and Switzerland," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 133-142.
    20. Fiorio, Carlo V. & Florio, Massimo & Perucca, Giovanni, 2013. "User satisfaction and the organization of local public transport: Evidence from European cities," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 29(C), pages 209-218.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:trapol:v:58:y:2017:i:c:p:1-9. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/30473/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.