Overview

Revitalizing railways as a major sustainable transport mode in modern societies faces many issues and challenges. This in-depth overview places the importance of railways in the wider context of comprehensive sustainability, which encompasses sustainable development, social and economic equity and community livability. Some scholars have described the 21st Century as a period of renaissance for railways and suggest this transport mode can fulfil people's desire for high mobility with low negative environmental, social, economic and financial impacts. In light of these new expectations for railways, in both passenger and freight transport worldwide, this book offers the latest research insights on the renewed interest about railway expansions and their wide-ranging environmental, socio-economic and even political implications.

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9781409452447

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Reviews

'Despite the hopes for a worldwide railway renaissance there was as yet no comprehensive coverage of its multiple dimensions and challenges. This book now fills this gap. It brings together some of the best international experts to discuss the different aspects of the interface between railways and societal development in a very well informed, balanced, and accessible way. For those wanting to understand how railways might help making transport more sustainable, there is no better place to start.' Luca Bertolini, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and co-author of Cities on Rails, and Transit Oriented Development: Making it Happen 'Loo and Comtois offer a comprehensive assessment of the promise of enhanced railway systems as a key component of the infrastructure needed to assure sustainable mobility of people and goods. Their co-edited volume shows how railways are critically needed to support economic development while minimizing human impacts on the environment. Transport policymakers, students and academics will benefit greatly from the compendium of challenges and opportunities facing future railway system developments outlined in this book.' Blas L. Perez Henriquez, University of California, Berkeley, USA 'This co-edited volume provides a unique look into the future of railways through the lens of sustainability. Contributions covering passenger and freight, urban and inter-urban, and developed and developing systems, critically examine the geographic, environmental, social and environmental characteristics of a technology that, if not yet undergoing a full-blown renaissance, is very much alive and kicking.' John Preston, University of Southampton, UK

Author Information

Becky P.Y. Loo is Professor in the Department of Geography, The University of Hong Kong, China and Claude Comtois is Professor in the Department of Geography at The University of Montreal, Canada.

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