Steps tailored to enhance the connection between Konya and Ankara are more important than those to connect Istanbul to Ankara.

Is Turkey’s transportation priority high-speed passenger transportation? This is the first question. Is Turkey’s transportation priority high-speed passenger transportation between Istanbul and Ankara? This is the second one. And the answer to both of these questions is a big no. High-speed passenger transportation is not Turkey’s transportation priority. Neither is high-speed transportation between Istanbul and Ankara. Turkey’s priority is not about passengers. It is about the rapid delivery of goods. It is to connect east to west, not to connect Istanbul to Ankara. Then, what is the purpose of the high-speed passenger train project financed by the European Union (EU)? The Istanbul-Ankara high-speed passenger train project is an erroneous investment decision for Turkey. Though it sounds good as an election-driven investment, it is not compatible with the priorities of the country. Let me tell you why.

Recently I travelled from Ankara to Konya by high-speed train. It was a pleasant journey. Since there are no flights between Ankara and Konya, the high-speed train definitely made it more comfortable to travel between the two cities. And there is no doubt those who will use the high-speed Istanbul-Ankara train will also appreciate the opportunity. This is why I think that the project is nothing but a pleasing investment initiated by election concerns.

Let’s go back to the main point. Turkey’s priority in the area of transportation is not to carry passengers by high-speed train between Istanbul and Ankara. Let me divide the issue in two. The first point is that Turkey’s priority in the area of transportation is the rapid delivery of goods, not the rapid transportation of passengers. As World Bank research suggests, companies located in eastern Anatolia and eastern Black Sea raise the issue of transportation as an important impediment to doing business. I believe that the same applies for central Anatolian and southeastern Anatolian companies that are targeting European markets, as well. Northwest Turkey produces for European markets exploiting logistical opportunities. When you move from the northwest to the southeast, the trading partners change to the Middle East and Central Asia. The technology content of the production of northwest Turkey is higher than that of southeastern Turkey as the technology content is determined by the demand structure of the export market. Here is the main issue: Turkey’s major export market is Europe whereas it is not possible to transport goods from Turkey to Europe with scheduled railway containers. Turkey’s east is not in the EU yet. I think this is a big shame for Turkey.

Turkey’s priority is not to improve the connectivity between Istanbul and Ankara. On the way to the Ankara airport, there is a billboard with a giant picture of prime minister Erdoğan. It says, “Roads mark civilization.” It is definitely correct. Roads connect you to civilization. Civilization is fluid; it floats to you via roads. Production capacity moves from one city or country to another through roads. Then, one day, you realize that the skills capacity of the neighboring city or country has flourished. At the heart of the regional disparities in Turkey lies the lack of connectivity across the country. Istanbul and its surrounding region have always had the priority, which has caused an imbalanced population distribution and an agglomeration around the city. There is no problem with the connectivity between Istanbul and Ankara. Steps tailored to enhance the connection between Konya and Ankara are more important than those to connect Istanbul to Ankara. When it becomes easier to transport goods cheaply between the two locations and the connections to the Central and Eastern Europe are advanced, the industry of the eastern Turkey will step into a new age. Then, these regions per se will change rapidly. Kayseri and Kars will then start to converge with Istanbul. This is importance.

The Istanbul-Ankara high-speed train project enjoys finances and priority, but it is an example of the erroneous allocation of sources of investment. It might earn votes in the upcoming elections, but the result does not change. There are no scheduled container train services to Europe and the high-speed train infrastructure is not suitable for such services. That’s the thing.

This commentary was published in Radikal daily on 27.04.2012