Urban Economics

Transport, land-use and housing policy decisions all create incentives and economic impacts on the places we live our lives. The interrelated nature of these topics means there is the possibility of both positive and negative effects that can extend well beyond the immediate project or policy being examined. For example, setting rules on where people can live directly impacts where, when, and how they can travel to the places they need to get to.

Recognising the connections between these policy areas, our economists work at the intersection of transport, land use, housing and public policy. We combine economic analysis with MRCagney’s expertise in transport planning, data science and urban strategy to understand how policies and investments affect behaviour, accessibility, development and wider urban outcomes.

Our lead economist also regularly runs an Urban Economics short course to help participants understand urban economics concepts and various policy implications.

We use economics to test how people, businesses and markets are likely to respond to change. This can include analysing pricing and incentives, forecasting behavioural responses, assessing costs and benefits, understanding land-value and development effects, and identifying how impacts are distributed across different groups.

We develop fit-for-purpose methods for complex policy questions, including where conventional appraisal approaches do not capture the full effects of a proposal. Our focus is on producing robust, transparent analysis that helps clients understand trade-offs and make well-informed decisions.

Our work ranges from economic assessment of major transport investments to analysis of land-use regulation, housing and development capacity, road and parking pricing, public transport fares and travel behaviour.

Key areas

• Transport economics
• Urban and land-use economics
• Economic appraisal and cost-benefit analysis
• Pricing and behavioural analysis
• Housing and land-use policy
• Travel-choice modelling
• Policy evaluation
• Peer reviews
• Short courses