The making of the modern metropolis: Evidence from London

a column by Stephan Heblich, Stephen Redding and Daniel Sturm for VOX: CEPR’s Policy Portal

Over the last two centuries, transportation innovations have drastically changed urban landscapes.

This column explores how the mid-19th century transport revolution shaped the urban agglomeration of London. The results show Greater London’s population would have been 30% lower in 1921 without the railway network. The findings and the quantitative urban models employed highlight the role of modern transport technologies in sustaining dense concentrations of economic activity.

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