Transport Futures

Transport planning is based on assessing the suitability of transport systems to accommodate forecast changes in demand, taking account of expected demographic, employment and economic trends together with forecast changes in land use activities.

Transport planning is most effective when it is objectives based to achieve required outcomes, which could (for example) involve, demand management, modal change, safety or environmental improvement targets.

Applications include:

• Policies, strategies and plans: analytical studies and techniques assessing options and alternatives at the strategic level.
• Packages and projects: using more detailed analysis to evaluate implementation proposals.

Transport planning is most effective when undertaken on a multi-modal and inter-disciplinary basis in close coordination with planners, urban designers, economists, transport operators, safety specialists and infrastructure engineers.

New infrastructure is an essential ingredient in future transport system planning, but it is important that infrastructure is considered when other options have been excluded.

Modelling of different types is an essential supporting technique to transport planning (see separate page on modelling)