Research Trends and Results

Evaluation of traffic related public works projects inforeign countries —Present situation in England—
MORITA Yasuo, HeadKOBAYASHI Hajime, Senior Researcher
SADO Chikako, Researcher
TAJIMA Takashi, Researcher
Construction Management Division, Research Center for Land and Construction Management(Key words) Public works project, project evaluation, traffic related public works project, road project, England
1. Introduction
The NILIM has been conducting survey research toadvance and improve public works project evaluation
methods, but many past surveys prioritized parametersetting and other detailed features of evaluation
methods, so beginning in FY2013, it will focus its
survey on the interrelationships of public works
project planning systems, decision-making methods,
and project evaluations. In FY2013, it surveyed traffic
related public works project evaluations in England,
the United States, and Germany, but this report will
introduce the present situation in England divided into
four levels for simplified comparison with Japan.
2. Policy level
At the level—Aiming in the overall direction which
the government has proposed, inducing thegovernment’s series of linked decision making (Plan,Program, Project decisions)—it is a level
corresponding to “forming a network permitting use
from throughout the country in about 1 hour”, which isa basic concept of the High Standard Arterial Road
Network Plan in Japan’s Fourth Comprehensive
Development Plan (1987). In England, after theestablishment of the Cameron government in 2010, thePublic Services Transparency Framework was adopted
as a new framework for policy evaluations, and every
ministry has prepared a Business Plan that includes avision, allied priority matters, structural reform plan,
ministry expenditures, and transparency. The
Department for Transport complied with this in 2010by preparing the Business Plan 2011-2015, which is aconcrete mid-term plan that includes road and railway
investment program, expenditures plan etc.
3. Plan (basic planning) level
The level—Strategies and concrete plans enacted todefine the policy in detail and move to its
implementation—is a level corresponding to Japan’sHigh Standard Arterial Road Network Plan (14,000k).
In England, the Department for Transport announced
Investment in Highway Transport Schemes in 2010
concerning large-scale road projects, and while it is

not as long term a plan as Japan’s, it corresponds tothe Plan level. The Schemes present plans for
implementation of large-scale road projects in detailfrom the medium to long term, and specificallypresents plans for projects which should be started in
the period (2010 to 2015), projects which should bestarted after 2015, projects whose implementation will
be studied, and projects whose start-up is postponed.
The priority of large-scale road projects is set fromfour perspectives: public’s value for money, strategic
value, feasibility, and effects incalculable in monetaryterms.
4. Program level
At the level—Schedule with coherence: plan isdetailed and consists of promises, methods, andactions that advance it to implementation—itcorresponds to Japan’s Priority Plan for Social
Infrastructure. In England, the Business Plan
2011-2015 mentioned above corresponds to this level.
The expenditure plan in the Business Plan is based on
Departmental Expenditure Limits, decided throughnegotiations with HM Treasury.
5. Project level
This is the level which corresponds to Japan’s new
project adoption stage. In England, the Department forTransport’s project adoption process is stipulated indetail by the Project Control Framework Handbook.
This process consists of 7 steps from the policy option
formation to project completion, and at times
important for the construction decision, the Minister ofTransport and the HM Treasury must approve it. The
results of project evaluations are organized in theAppraisal Summary Table, that includes a variety ofquantitative and qualitative items other than B/C, andit reflects public comments or opinions voiced atpublic hearings. Reports summarized in it are used by
the Minister of Transport for decision-making.