Transport Modelling : Spring 2009

One theme of the LTT-sponsored Modelling Forum to be held in London on 10 June is the challenges to modelling presented by Delivering a Sustainable Transport Strategy and an article in this supplement considers the role that modelling carbon emissions is playing in modern transport policy decisions. Interestingly, here, at least one leading consultant, Arup, observes that, while the tools needed to undertake accurate emissions modelling are already with us, their uptake by government at various levels is not yet all it could be, despite the legally binding emissions reduction targets contained in the Climate Change Act. And persuading politicians to make use of the valuable data that modellers can provide them with is hardly the only challenge facing the modelling community at the moment, although there is good evidence that in many areas modelling is currently evolving at a rapid rate – with the modelling of such things as parking choice, the behaviour of pedestrians and cyclists and traveller responses to travel time reliability coming on in leaps and bounds. Many challenges remain, however, as other contributors to this supplement point out. How do we model an increasingly ageing population? How do we take account of the current economic crisis in our modelling? And how do we acquire large amounts of good quality data when some of the traditional methods of collecting information are becoming more time consuming and expensive? Only one thing seems certain in the modelling world – there will always be fresh challenges!