Vision to Reality: The Reut Blog

While railways in Israel are perceived as a magic solution to the periphery’s development, a recent roundtable held at Hebrew University which dealt with transportation and economic development raised reservations as to its usefulness.

 Writing in TheMarker, Professor Feitleson argued that international experience indicated that railways alone can’t induce economic development and may even harm a region (in this context, think of the concerns stemming from the potential damage a fast train may cause Jerusalem). In fact, railways are only an efficient means when lack of transportation represents a constraint of leveraging the unique assets of the region.

Effective regional development should thus focus on removing constraints and enabling all kinds of accessibility – not only physical but also in terms of education, health, vocational training and cultural.

 Related Posts:

A train to the North – What Aim does it Serve?

Expanding the Definition of ‘Accessibility’

The Land Reform and the New Railroad Expansion Will Not Save the Periphery