Experiences with high-speed rail outside the Netherlands have shown that effects at a local or regional level can be important, due to relocation of employment within regions and cities. This paper focuses on this issue by presenting the results of discrete choice models for office location choice. A nested logit model is used to combine stated and revealed choice data into a single model. The discrete location choice models give information on to what extent the introduction of high-speed rail in the Netherlands can change the attractiveness of individual cities within the Randstad area on the one hand and of places within these cities on the other hand. Distributive effects of offices within urban regions are larger than relocations between urban regions. Attention is also given to the specification of accessibility indicators. Furthermore, the paper focuses on a segmentation of employment that reflects this paper’s purpose of studying the influence of (high-speed) rail on location choices. Accessibility by high-speed rail in particular seem important to a distinct group of office employment that regularly makes international business trips. (Author/publisher)
Abstract