Transport Economics, Finance and Appraisal stream at ETC 2026
- Jul 31
- 3 min read
 | European Transport Conference9-11 September 2026: University of Porto, Portugal |
Transport Economics, Finance and Appraisal: Beyond the Balance Sheet |
This dynamic stream interrogates how we measure value when budgets are squeezed, uncertainty is the norm, and the old certainties of cost–benefit analysis no longer hold. As inflation bites and funding tightens, the question is sharper than ever: what really counts, and who decides? Sessions tackle the frontier of appraisal head-on. We'll revalue safety and the value of statistical life, rethink welfare appraisal under land-use change, and ask why getting the modelling right is only half the battle when information meets decision. A dedicated strand on externalities and public value moves beyond the BCR to grapple with land artificialisation, soil sealing, cross-border external costs, and the harder-to-capture worth of heritage and place. Fresh evidence puts the agglomeration orthodoxy to the test — from non-linearity in agglomeration effects to a direct challenge to the long-standing 30% rule. Wider economic impacts take centre stage, from the Transforming Cities Fund and transport's effect on unemployment to new findings on mass rapid transit. Decision-makers will find tools for navigating deep uncertainty, setting budgets under high inflation, and forecasting England's future bus demand — alongside hard numbers on the societal costs of failing infrastructure and a one-year verdict on London's Silvertown Tunnel. Pricing and behaviour run throughout: what drivers really pay for parking, how price rises reshape bike-share use in Budapest, the spill-over effects of commuting subsidies, and freight carriers' response to parking pricing in Seattle. Road pricing returns with real-world bite — New York's congestion charge, Spanish toll preferences, and the Dutch case for a cordon charge — while broadening appraisal frameworks reach from cycle infrastructure investment to human wellbeing in traffic management. Joint sessions push the boundaries further: agent-based models reach maturity as appraisal tools, rail appraisal confronts productivity, labour supply and decarbonisation under climate uncertainty, and a workforce-focused lens reframes the economics of connected and automated mobility — right down to the traffic and economic effects of a free ferry in Norway. From Norway to New York, Ireland to the Netherlands, this stream confronts the assumptions baked into legacy appraisal and asks what a fairer, smarter, more honest economics of transport might look like. Preliminary ProgrammeThe preliminary programme* is now available online, giving you the opportunity to explore this year's streams and sessions. You'll also find everything you need to plan your visit in the Full Booking Brochure. *The programme is subject to change. Keep up to date with conference news, speakers, social events and ETC 2026 updates by following AET on LinkedIn and visiting the AET website. |
Network with international colleaguesThe conference programme also provides ample social opportunities and technical visits for all participants to engage with transport experts from around the world, experience local transport first-hand and become part of our specialist community.
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Promote your organisation at ETC 2026! |
We welcome sponsorships for ETC’s 2026 Conference and have numerous opportunities to promote your organisation including badges, themed or special sessions, Conference Dinner, and Welcome Reception. Check out our website for more details or email: sabrina.winter@aetransport.org Confirmed Sponsors & Exhibitors for ETC 2026: |
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