Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book describes the methodology of transport planning, and focuses on transport policy. It explains the application of systems modelling in transport analysis and forecasting which forms the theory of urban transport planning. The book recognises that planning involves time horizons which range from short- to long-term, and geographical scales which range from metropolitan-wide down to local areas, and that the systems approach is suitably flexible to such a wide range of applications. It considers forecasting methods, plan preparation and evaluation procedures. The book describes the conventional transport study, which has formed the backbone of long-term urban planning from the mid-1950s onwards. It also explains the procedures for calculating the traffic implications of radically different urban development options.