Green Book reforms: debate hots up

The DfT is currently organising webinars to discuss revisions to TAG in the context of the Treasury Review of the Green Book – the appraiser’s bible.  In a remarkably frank response to an avalanche of criticism from practitioners, the Treasury team does not pull any punches, with trenchant criticism of the BCR and its distorting impact on the appraisal process, and a new priority for strategic objectives.  TPS welcomed the review and fully supported its findings. 

The initial TPS response can be found here and the debate is being intensified in the pages of Local Transport Today with further commentary from Keith Buchan and Phil Goodwin, available here.   They point to the previous occasions when similar major reforms have been proposed and were close to being implemented (1998 and 2008).  In both cases the reforms were sidelined and use of the BCR, so strongly criticised then and in the latest Treasury report, continued to dominate appraisal.

TPS has been working for some time with a consortium of professional bodies (TPS, CIHT, LGTAG and RTPI) to provide clear and practical advice on how to reform appraisal.  The DfT has agreed to a series of meetings to discuss the implications of the planned reforms in more detail and TPS wants to engage with its members further over the coming months to help this process.

Keith Buchan, the TPS Board lead on the appraisal work, said

“The Treasury findings are clear in terms of the current system’s poor theoretical justification, lack of transparency, and poor outcomes in terms of failing to bring forward schemes which would achieve our objectives.  The pressure is now building on DfT to deliver the changes needed to meet these criticisms through revisions to Transport Appraisal Guidance (TAG).  TPS will do what it can to assist in that process and will be meeting with DfT to put forward practical reforms which will make a real difference.  Further input from TPS members over the next few months will be welcome.  Please get in touch!”