Transport planning and modelling

Understand with data,
plan together.

We model where people go during the day, when, and by which mode. With activity-based models we assess walking, cycling, micromobility, public transport and car trips together, and present the impact of an investment, a plan change or a transport policy in a technical report ready for the approving authority.

Field data Activity-based model Evidence-based decision

Activity-based model

Today’s land use and transport network. People travel between home, work, school and shops through the day.

Illustrative simulation. Mode shares are computed from the trips in the animation.

Who we work with

Wherever there is a transport question.

01

Investors and developers

We prepare the traffic impact assessment required for your residential, retail, healthcare, education or logistics project, testing walking, cycling, public transport and vehicle trips, access, parking and servicing at design stage.

02

Municipalities and public bodies

For transport master plans, public transport lines, cycle networks, parking policy or street redesign, we compare scenarios with activity-based models and show who is affected and how, by population group.

03

Architecture and planning practices

We prepare the transport annex of zoning change applications and the access and circulation review of site layouts, working in your team’s language and timeline.

Services

From field data to activity-based models.

Our four services are parts of one workflow: data from counts and surveys feeds the model, the model tests scenarios for every mode, and analysis turns findings into planning decisions. We complement transport modelling and mobility data analysis with supporting software and consultancy solutions.

Trips generated by the project
  • Walk
  • Cycle
  • Micromobility
  • Public transport
  • Car

Traffic Impact Assessment

For zoning changes and new developments we estimate the walking, cycling, public transport and vehicle trips a project generates and compare their effect on the network across without- and with-project scenarios.

  • Zoning changes
  • Multimodal trip generation
  • Network and junction performance
  • Access, parking and servicing
Details
Multimodal count screen
  • Walk
  • Cycle
  • Micromobility
  • Public transport
  • Car

Field Data and Counts

We count pedestrians, cyclists, micromobility, public transport and vehicles, and collect model-ready data through household travel surveys and boarding-alighting counts.

  • Multimodal counts
  • Household travel survey
  • Boarding and alighting
  • Video-based counts
Details
Daily activity schedules of a synthetic population
  • Walk
  • Cycle
  • Micromobility
  • Public transport
  • Car

Transport Modelling

With activity-based models we simulate people’s daily activity schedules and their choices across every mode, and compare scenarios at city, corridor and junction scale with calibrated models.

  • Activity-based model
  • Multimodal demand model
  • Microsimulation
  • Calibration and validation
Details
Area reachable in 15 minutes
  • Walk
  • Cycle
  • Micromobility
  • Public transport
  • Car

Transport Data Analysis

We combine counts, surveys, smart card, GPS and spatial data and turn travel patterns, mode shares and accessibility for every mode into maps and indicators for planning decisions.

  • Accessibility analysis
  • Mode shares and travel patterns
  • Smart card and GPS data
  • GIS and spatial analysis
Details

Fields of work

Every land use and every policy shapes mobility differently.

A shopping centre peaks on weekend afternoons, a school at 8 a.m.; a tram line changes not only traffic but people’s choices through the day. We shape each study around that difference.

  • Residential

    Morning and evening peaks, school trips, public transport and walking access

  • Retail and shopping centres

    Weekend and evening peaks, visitor parking, servicing and loading

  • Mixed use

    Internal trips between uses, shared parking and pedestrian-friendly ground floors

  • Education and healthcare

    School start and finish, safe routes to school, shift and visitor movements

  • Logistics and industry

    Heavy vehicle share, staff shuttles, shift times and holding areas

  • Public transport and active travel

    Route and stop planning, cycle networks, pedestrian zones, transfers

  • Corridors and street design

    Bus and cycle lanes, pedestrian space, person-carrying capacity

  • Transport policy

    Parking pricing, low-speed zones, flexible working, land-use scenarios

Scenario comparison

Measure a street by the people it moves.

A corridor succeeds not by how many vehicles pass per hour, but by how many people can travel, how fast and by which mode. The same cross-section is compared two ways: a four-lane car-oriented road and a street designed for every mode, with a bus lane, protected cycle track and wide footways.

Scenario A Car-oriented corridor
Scenario B Street for every mode
Scenario AScenario B
Person-carrying capacity 5,900 people/h13,600 people/h
Average door-to-door time 31 min27 min
Walk, cycle and transit share 38 %61 %

Illustrative values for demonstration, not a project result. In real studies values come from field data, surveys and a calibrated model.

Our approach

Define the question, measure, then test.

Every study follows the same four steps. Scope grows with the project; the order does not change.

  1. 01

    Define the decision

    We agree the decision to be supported, the study area, the assessment year and the analysis hours with the approving authority’s expectations in mind.

  2. 02

    Collect the data

    We run multimodal counts and household and public transport surveys on representative days, combine them with existing records and quality-check the data.

  3. 03

    Test with a model

    With a calibrated model that reproduces today, we compare future with- and without-project cases or policy options on the same assumptions, reporting journey time, mode share, access and network performance for every mode.

  4. 04

    Recommend with evidence

    We report practical measures for junction operation, access, parking and pedestrian links, prioritised and justified.

Principles

Measure before assuming

The existing situation comes from the field. We do not apply published trip rates without testing them against local conditions.

Assumptions in writing

Trip generation, mode split and growth assumptions are stated and justified in the report, so every result is traceable.

Flow is not the only measure

Besides delay and queues we assess pedestrian crossing time, road safety and public transport access with separate indicators.

Planning and engineering together

Land-use decisions (use, density, floor area ratio) and transport infrastructure are assessed side by side.

Zoning changes

Does your zoning change application need a transport annex?

A change of use, a density increase or a large new development often leads the authority to request a traffic impact assessment. Seeing the transport dimension early costs less than revising plan and design decisions later.

Contact us

Enough for a first call

  • Site location: parcel number or a map link
  • Current and proposed plan decisions: land use, floor area ratio, site coverage, height
  • Land-use mix and floor areas: number of homes, retail area (m²), bed or student capacity
  • Site layout and proposed vehicle and pedestrian access, if available
  • The authority’s letter or requested report scope, if available

Frequently asked questions

Before you start.

What is a traffic impact assessment and when is it needed?

A traffic impact assessment evaluates the trips a new development or plan change will generate and their effect on surrounding roads, junctions, pedestrian routes and public transport. It is usually requested by the municipality or transport authority for changes of use, density increases or large retail, residential, healthcare, education and logistics developments. Its scope is set by the authority’s request and the nature of the change.

What is an activity-based model and how does it differ from a classic traffic model?

Classic models treat trips as independent numbers. An activity-based model simulates the activities people take part in during the day (home, work, school, shopping, leisure) and the trips between them as a chain. Walking, cycling, micromobility, public transport and car choices are assessed together, and the effect of a transit line, parking policy or land-use decision can be shown for different population groups.

How is the fee determined?

By the study area and number of junctions, count locations and durations, the type of model needed (junction analysis, microsimulation or demand model) and the report scope requested by the authority. We provide an itemised quote once scope is clear.

What documents should I prepare for the first call?

Site location, current and proposed plan decisions, land-use mix and floor areas are enough. A site layout, proposed access points and the authority’s letter help clarify scope faster.

Do you only look at vehicle traffic?

No. Our models treat walking, cycling, micromobility, public transport and car trips together. Alongside delay and queues we assess pedestrian crossing times, cycle links, public transport access and transfers, and show whether improving one group’s journeys penalises another.

Let’s define your project’s transport question together.

Share the location, land use and, if any, the authority’s request. We will agree scope, data needs and programme in the first call.