New Perspectives on Investment in Infrastructures
G. Arts, W. Dicke and L. Hancher (eds.)
In the past twenty years, a certain amount of commercialisation, liberalisation or privatisation has been introduced in all sectors of Dutch infrastructures. This regime change was accompanied by many intended, unintended and even undesirable effects. In the investigation New Perspectives on Investment in Infrastructures (WRR Investigations no. 19, 2008), those effects are analysed from various angles.
From state monopoly to liberalised and completely privatised
As a result of the regime change, the government no longer has sole responsibility for the vital infrastructures in the Netherlands. Whereas in the past public monopolies were predominant, the current ownership and management of infrastructures is shared by several public and private parties. Moreover, the change has also placed more emphasis on better service, prices, greater efficiency and more choice for consumers.
Multidisciplinary approach
In this compilation, the authors analyse – from an economic, legal, administrative or technical angle – how, and by whom, long-term investments in infrastructures can be guaranteed in the new circumstances. This analysis is carried out in the light of future challenges facing these infrastructures. There are contributions from: Rudi Bekkers, Theon van Dijk, A.A. van Duijn, Saskia Lavrijssen-Heijmans and Leigh Hancher, Ernst ten Heuvelhof, Hamilcar Knops, Pierre Larouche, William Melody, Jan de Pree, Geert Teisman and Kirsten Wilkeshuis.
This investigation has been carried out in the context of the WRR report Infrastructures: Time to Invest (report no. 81, 2008).