Transport and Infrastructure

Land transport of both people and goods is dominated by roads. 

 

Because of the highly dispersed origin and destination pattern of modern economies, roads provide a flexibility for urban transport that fixed rail cannot match and in most cities the transport load is dominated by car use with buses also playing a role.  Unfortunately, governments, often at the behest of activists and enthusiasts, place excessive priority on new rail links, which at vast cost have very little effect in increasing the efficiency by which commuters and other users move around the cities. 

 

In the case of longer distance transport, air services dominate for individuals and for high value, time sensitive goods, with sea transport vital for many products that traverse long distances.  Road dominates land based longer distance transport except for bulk commodities, (like iron ore, coal and wheat) where rail is more competitive.