have been widely discussed in the transport policy literature, especially in the context of the relative success of individual projects. Recent experience in developed countries has seen something of a revival of urban light rail infrastructure, mainly because of its lower cost relative to full underground metro rail. Among the issues raised are firstly, what are the impacts of new urban rail infrastructure on potential corridors of economic development along the new routes; and secondly, whether the access gains offered by urban rail mean that private sector contributions can partly be used to finance them. This paper reports on further progress on internationally funded comparative research first discussed at previous ERSA Conferences. It reports evidence (based on site visits) on the economic development impacts of new urban light rail. Visits to a number of light rail systems in Britain and France (with other countries planned this year) provide sharp contrasts in the economic development impacts of this form of urban infrastructure, as well as in the transport policy strategies that lie behind the various projects. The Federal Government’s financial involvement in urban rail projects in the US has provided yet more contrasting examples from a highly car-oriented economy.