The spatial impacts of a massive rail disinvestment program: The Beeching Axe

Stephen Gibbons, Stephan Heblich and Edward W. Pinchbeck

Journal of Urban Economics, 2024, vol. 143, issue C

Abstract: This paper investigates the reversibility of the effects of transport infrastructure investments, based on a programme that removed much of the rail network in Britain during the mid-20th century. We find that a 10% loss in rail access between 1950 and 1980 caused a persistent 3% decline in local population relative to unaffected areas, implying that the 1 in 5 places most exposed to the cuts saw 24 percentage points less population growth than the 1 in 5 places that were least exposed. The cuts reduced local jobs and shares of skilled workers and young people.

Keywords: Rail; Infrastructure; Beeching cuts (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: H54 N74 R1 R4 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:juecon:v:143:y:2024:i:c:s0094119024000615

DOI: 10.1016/j.jue.2024.103691

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