Regress – relevant for Sweden’s railway sector?
Overview
Background & policy context:
The Swedish Transport Administration (Trafikverket) currently administrates a system referred to as quality fees. This is a means for inducing operators to change their behaviour in order to reduce train delays. The purpose of the present project is to discuss the implications of introducing a regress system as a complement or possibly replacement to the current fees. While the current system is based on standardized per-minute fees, a regress system would make it possible for anyone affected by delays caused by someone else to reclaim subsequent costs.
Objectives:
VTI has been commissioned to analyse the preconditions for, and possible consequences of introducing the possibility of regress in the railway industry.
Regress refers to the possibility of anyone that is stricken by financial consequences of train delays caused by someone else, to reclaim these costs. Introducing a system of this nature would not increase costs to the industry but would transfer costs to the culpable party. To the extent that operators and the infrastructure holder adjusts the way in which activities are implemented, the risk for delays may shrink which in the long run may reduce prices and tariffs.
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