The Optimisation of Integrated Urban Transport Strategies: Tests Using Pluto

This working paper reports work indertaken on an EPSRC study, the optimisation of integrated urban transport strategies. It is the fist in a series of papers each reporting work using a different transport model. This paper is concerned with work using PLUTO, a transport model based on a hypothetical city, which can provide model runs quickly and cheaply.

PLUTO was used to experiment widely, examining paths towards an optimum when considering discrete policy variables, continuous policy variables and hybrids where several policy variables may be combined to form a strategy.

Our search for a method by which to reach an optimum solution uses regression analysis of carefully specified sets of model runs. We find that the use of statistical modelling techniques is extremely useful in pointing the way to an optimum, using only a limited number of model runs. However, care is necessary to ensure that the regression models are interpreted correctly.