Title: Sustainability implications of railway infrastructure charging and cost allocation: the case of Bulgaria

Authors: Christina Nikolova, Todor Razmov

Addresses: Department of Economics of Transport, University of National and World Economy, Students Town Hristo Botev, Sofia 1700, Bulgaria. ' Department of Technology, Organization and Management of Transport, Todor Kableshkov Higher School of Transport, 158 Geo Milev street, Sofia 1574, Bulgaria

Abstract: The necessity of market-based decisions is a key factor for the development of the railway transport. The main aim of this paper is to study the infrastructure charging regime and cost allocation methodology, currently, in use in Bulgaria in order to reveal the level of implementation of the European transport pricing policy in the country. The analysis of adopted cost allocation approaches as well as the current market signals and their influence on the railways performance permits to outline the opportunities for implementation of new progressive pricing principles which could facilitate the move towards sustainable transport.

Keywords: sustainability; sustainable transport; railway transport; railways charging; infrastructure charges; infrastructure cost allocation; econometric approach; trains; Bulgaria; transport pricing policy.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSE.2010.035487

International Journal of Sustainable Economy, 2010 Vol.2 No.4, pp.400 - 418

Published online: 30 Sep 2010 *

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