Research and analysis

Using welfare appraisal for land-use change transport schemes

Considers whether current appraisal methods properly capture the benefits of transport schemes that change how people and jobs are distributed.

• From: Department for Transport
• Published: 28 May 2026

Documents

Welfare appraisal under land use change: theoretical position paper

PDF, 2.55 MB, 113 pages

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format.

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email webmasterdft@dft.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Details

This research explores current transport appraisal methods and whether they accurately capture the benefits of schemes that change how people and jobs are distributed.

It focuses on situations where better transport leads to new development or relocation by altering access to:

• jobs
• shops
• services

The study also considers how welfare appraisal can better reflect these wider effects, while remaining usable for real policy decisions and consistent with established UK appraisal practice.

The Institute for Transport Studies and Peak Economics completed this research on behalf of the Department for Transport (DfT).

Published 28 May 2026