Strategic Modelling

Assessing the Strategic Impact of Policies

TRL has an established reputation for the innovative development of software for the strategic modelling of towns, cities and conurbations. This development capability draws on our long-standing expertise and achievement in areas as diverse as land use, public transport operations, vehicle emissions and safety.

The Strategic Transport Model (STM) is our flagship model and has a capability of modelling policy impacts in study areas with up to 200 zones.

The STM enables parking and public transport policies to be quickly assessed against a background of assumptions about economic growth, fuel price changes, demographic changes and changes in the level of car ownership. STM can also include facilities for assessing the impact of LRT, Park-and-Ride and the introduction of new stations. The latest version of STM can also provide a cost-benefit analysis and some capability of assessing the broad strategic impact of road network changes.

We can set up the models for your region on your behalf. This service can include the identification, gathering and formatting of relevant demographic and travel data and the integration of GIS maps.

STM has been used by Strathclyde PTE (where it has been coupled to an interactive land-use model), by SEERA (the South East England Regional Assembly), by Gloucestershire County Council and by West Yorkshire PTE. Other applications have been used in South Wales, Cheshire and in the Midlands.

In parallel with these models we can also offer related consultancy services on a range of strategic modelling issues and develop bespoke software for customers’ applications ranging from the simple to the complex.

If you would like more information about these models and learn what TRL can offer you, contact [email protected] and we will be pleased to answer your questions.