Transport planning is a process that supports decision makers on the future development and management of transport systems. It involves the determination of the need for new or expanded highways, public transport systems, freight facilities, transportation terminals, their location, their capacity, and the management of their demand. Transport planning covers: the modelling of transport demand to forecast travel patterns and includes numerous mathematical tools to simulate or represent travel choices; the appraisal of transport impacts to support the development of new or improved transport infrastructure; and the development of policy and strategy to ensure transport in Cumbria is aligned to the aims in the Council Plan.
The transport planning team has developed and maintains a suite of strategic transport models and transport evidence bases. These include strategic assignment models, demand models, microsimulation models, or junction models, which are used to undertake a wide range of activities including:
- assessment of infrastructure schemes and development scenarios;
- undertaking economic appraisal to inform business cases;
- local plan impact assessment;
- data analysis and the production of evidence bases to support new developments proposals.
We also work on the development of evidence bases for the appraisal of major transport schemes throughout Cumbria. This work involves using outputs from transport models to evidence the need for transport improvements.
The team also play an important role in the development of transport strategies and responses to consultations on government transport strategies and those of key transport providers including National Highways and Network Rail. Integral to this is the team's involvement in the development of Transport for the North (TfN) strategies and through the various TfN committee meetings.