Local Transport Today is the authoritative, independent journal for transport decision makers. Analysis, Comment & News on Transport Policy, Planning, Finance and Delivery since 1989.

Models should make policy-making honest

In the last issue we covered a new report by Yaron Hollander, a former Transport for London modelling manager, looking at ten misuses of transport models. This is one of a selection of responses from within the modelling community

Professor John Polak
27 November 2015
Professor John Polak is director of the Urban Systems Laboratory, chairman of the Centre for Transport Studies, and director of research in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Imperial College London.
Professor John Polak is director of the Urban Systems Laboratory, chairman of the Centre for Transport Studies, and director of research in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Imperial College London.

 

I think there are two distinct threads to Yaron’s comments, which it is easy to confuse but which should be considered separately; the first that models are imperfect and second that models can be misused. Even a perfect model could be egregiously misused, as a result of incompetence or malice or both, so the distinction is rather important.

On the first point, we must recognise that models will always be imperfect and while we should of course try to improve them we should be humble and...

+72% more

 

Sustainable Travel Officer (Schools)
Southampton City Council
Hampshire, Southampton
£34,834 - 38,233
Public Transport Team Manager
Warwickshire County Council
Warwick
£39,186 - £41,418 per annum
Sustainable Travel Officer (Schools)
Southampton City Council
Hampshire, Southampton
£34,834 - 38,233
View all Vacancies
 
Search
 
 
 

TransportXtra is part of Landor LINKS

© 2024 TransportXtra | Landor LINKS Ltd | All Rights Reserved

Subscriptions, Magazines & Online Access Enquires
[Frequently Asked Questions]
Email: subs.ltt@landor.co.uk | Tel: +44 (0) 20 7091 7959

Shop & Accounts Enquires
Email: accounts@landor.co.uk | Tel: +44 (0) 20 7091 7855

Advertising Sales & Recruitment Enquires
Email: daniel@landor.co.uk | Tel: +44 (0) 20 7091 7861

Events & Conference Enquires
Email: conferences@landor.co.uk | Tel: +44 (0) 20 7091 7865

Press Releases & Editorial Enquires
Email: info@transportxtra.com | Tel: +44 (0) 20 7091 7875

Privacy Policy | Terms and Conditions | Advertise

Web design london by Brainiac Media 2020