Summary

Describes how strategies and programs in the transport sector can be designed to make more efficient use of public resources, facilitate trade and other economic activity, foster competitive markets, and better serve users' needs--in particular, expanding poor people's access to services and opportunities. This report describes how strategies and programs in the transport sector can be designed to make more efficient use of public resources, facilitate trade and other economic activity, foster competitive markets, and better serve users' needs--in particular, expanding poor people's access to services and opportunities. The discussion is organized around the concepts of economic and financial sustainability, environmental and ecological sustainability, and social sustainability. The analysis shows how transport policy can be reformed to further these goals. The report makes detailed recommendations for reforms and examines emerging challenges such as the implications of rampant motorization and the increasing demand for transport services. It also presents examples of promising approaches in developing countries and the lessons that can be drawn from World Bank experiences with transport lending.