Transport systems help the society develop by supplying access and mobility, two vital factors for a modern society and its economic growth. Through its policies, the EU has clearly identified the railway network as an instrument capable to consolidate the economic and political cohesion.
The development of a sustainable society requires a stable and healthy economy, the high-speed transport bringing significant contributions by improving inter-regional connectivity, the mobility of the labour force, the efficiency of the business sector and that of local attractiveness. Transport investments support the economy in a way which cannot be contested by anybody and, due to reduced external costs, the high-speed transport supports the development of the economy at national, regional and local level.
Apart from the connections between metropolitan areas and the regions served by high-speed networks, small and medium-sized cities, connected to high-speed lines, grow economically and socially much faster than the cities which don’t benefit from such links.
There are many positive impacts of this type of transport on local economies, varying from the labour force, tourism, social and business activities, as well as the synergies with other transport networks. The construction of the high-speed network determines the socio-economic development being an important factor for regional development. This is one of the reasons which made the EU rethink the high-speed network by building new lines. By 2030, the length of the high-speed network should increase three times. The development of the network will permit the integration of other cities thus extending the economic growth potential of the cities and regions benefiting from this mode of transport.
Optimising the development level of the cities begins with the HSR connections in the urban environments which have such connections compared to those which don’t have a HSR link. Compared to the development timeframe, the “High Speed Rail as a tool for regional development” report states that the positive impact of a HSR in a city, from the point of view of the timeframe, is of 8 years since the delivery of high-speed transport services.
Population impact includes the growth or the reduction of the number of citizens in the cities and regions and, as related to high-speed transport, this impact consists in an increasing number of citizens in the regions benefiting from this transport mode. In this context, development opportunities are determined by the attractiveness of the cities, reduced travel time and costs, the development of the industrial sector and of new jobs. In the end, the implementation of high-speed line projects creates a favourable business environment.
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