Greater high-speed rail development in Asia will require policymakers and industry partners to navigate complex planning, design, construction, operational, and maintenance issues, as well as increasingly challenging domestic socioeconomic and political conditions as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This webinar featured Greg Marsden of the University of Leeds Institute of Transport Studies who presented findings from a longitudinal study of COVID-19 era travel behavior and policy in the United Kingdom. He described pandemic-driven macro-travel trends and behaviors in ten areas of England and Scotland. He also discussed the implications of shifting work patterns for the economics of public transport and public policy.

Infrastructure development could provide an important boost to COVID-19 recovery among developing Asian economies but will require financing solutions that address growing constraints on the use of public funds for projects due to the pandemic. New funding sources are particularly vital for tackling the region’s sustainable infrastructure investment gap, which is equal to 2.4% of GDP and includes financing for climate mitigation and adaptation.