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Transport in regional science: The “death of distance” is premature *
Author(s) -
Rietveld Piet,
Vickerman Roger
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
papers in regional science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.937
H-Index - 64
eISSN - 1435-5957
pISSN - 1056-8190
DOI - 10.1007/s10110-003-0184-9
Subject(s) - transaction cost , dimension (graph theory) , economic geography , regional science , economics , geographical distance , geography , microeconomics , sociology , mathematics , population , demography , pure mathematics
. Transport costs have always been an important dimension in regional science. It is therefore remarkable that regional science and transport economics have developed in a rather unconnected way. Although being distinct, the routes of the two were parallel, and there are signs that the two fields will get closer to each other. This paper further discusses long run trends in transport costs and the potential spatial consequences. The main conclusion is that although in terms of money and time, the performance of transport has improved enormously, many economic activities have not become footloose to the extent as expressed by the notion of ‘death of distance’. One of the reasons discussed is the role of transaction costs, some being clearly related with distance.