China's Bullet Trains Mitigate the Cost of Mega City Growth

From:
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
Published
1 January 2013
Country:
China
Document Type:
Briefing
Theme:
Economic Growth
First published:
1 January 2013
Authors:
Kahn, M.E. and Zheng SiQi

Abstract

This project investigates how the introduction of fast trains that connect cities affects both China鈥檚 mega cities and the 2nd and 3rd tier cities that now have much easier access to the mega cities. It is suggested that by encouraging the growth in the nearby 2nd and 3rd tier cities, this transport investment creates a 鈥渟afety valve鈥� for the mega cities and thus defuses the challenge of mega-city growth 鈥� substitute for suburbs in the mega-city and reduces congestion and pollution. This is crucial for China鈥檚 urban policy makers because China faces mega city challenges, and these trains will help Chinese mega cities to better enjoy agglomeration economies without suffering from agglomeration diseconomies

Citation

Zheng SiQi; Kahn, M.E. China鈥檚 Bullet Trains Mitigate the Cost of Mega City Growth. (2013) 4 pp.

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Published 1 January 2013
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