This book investigates the institutional and regulatory obstacles that prevent the implementation of sustainable transport systems in modern urban environments. Piet Rietveld and Roger Stough, both established scholars in transport economics and regional development, synthesize cross-national data to identify why policy initiatives often fail to achieve environmental goals. They argue that technical solutions are insufficient without a fundamental restructuring of the governance frameworks and economic incentives that currently prioritize traditional infrastructure over sustainable alternatives.

Experts in urban planning and transport economics frequently cite this work as a foundational text for understanding the political economy of infrastructure development. Readers often note the academic density of the prose, which provides a rigorous examination of the systemic barriers facing sustainable policy implementation.