A new composite decision support framework for strategic and sustainable transport appraisals

Abstract

This paper concerns the development of a new decision support framework for the appraisal of transport infrastructure projects. In such appraisals there will often be a need for including both conventional transport impacts as well as criteria of a more strategic and/or sustainable character.The proposed framework is based on the use of cost-benefit analysis featuring feasibility risk assessment in combination with multi-criteria decision analysis and is supported by the concept of decision conferencing. The framework is applied for a transport related case study dealing with the complex decision problem of determining the most attractive alternative for a new fixed link between Denmark and Sweden -the so-called HH-connection. Applying the framework to the case study made it possible to address the decision problem from an economic, a strategic, and a sustainable point of view simultaneously. The outcome of the case study demonstrates the decision making framework as a valuable decision support system (DSS), and it is concluded that appraisals of transport projects can be effectively supported by the use of the DSS. Finally, perspectives of the future modelling work are given.

A Model for the Evaluation of Brazilian Road Transport: A Sustainable Perspective

“…Reference [23] developed the Eco-Mobility (EM) that considers, besides the ACB, the risk analysis (Monte Carlo simulation) and the multicriteria complementary analysis of decision. The first two work as inputs for the third.…”

Sustainability Measures of Urban Public Transport in Cities: A World Review and Focus on the Asia/Middle East Region

“…The need to decouple transport from economic growth to include social and environmental externalities has been recognised [5], along with the importance of addressing social exclusion issues in transport [6]. Much research has been undertaken to measure the sustainability of transport systems through the use of various indicators and frameworks [7][8][9][10][11][12]. These studies have each incorporated economic, social, and environmental components, commonly referred to as the triple-bottom line of sustainability.…”

COPE-SMARTER – A decision support system for analysing the challenges, opportunities and policy initiatives: A case study of electric commercial vehicles market diffusion in Denmark

“…In the third step, the analysis technique of swing weights is applied, which is usually considered to be the most correct theoretical method for eliciting criteria weights (Barfod and Salling, 2015). By using visually supported scales, participants consider the swing from worst to best performance for each item on a scale of 0-100.…”