What is the PRTM?
The PRTM has been built using current industry best practice based on Government (Department for Transport's (DfT)) Transport Appraisal Guidance (TAG) and engagement/consultation with relevant stakeholders, such as National Highways (NH) and the Local Planning Authorities (LPA’s).
The PRTM is an expansion of the authority’s previous integrated Leicester and Leicestershire Integrated Transport Model (LLITM), developed by industry leading transport and land-use consultants. It remains one of the most advanced transport models in the country and aspects of its production have been adopted by TAG as the industry standard. The processes and methodology adopted in the development of matrices in the model had been the basis of numerous European Transport Conference papers and ultimately underpinned the drafting of the DfT’s matrix building guidance (TAG Unit M2.2).
The PRTM is comprised of:
- A planning input module to derive forecast total travel demand
- A bespoke TAG-compliant variable demand model
- Highway and public transport supply models
- Environmental model components
These can be run together or independently depending on the work being undertaken. From a current 2014 model base year, the PRTM forecasts in 5-year intervals between 2016 and 2051 using the latest planning data, infrastructure and economic assumptions.
The model aligns with National Highway’s Midlands Regional Transport Model and is being rebased to a new year of 2019 which should be available for use in autumn 2022 with the the potential for further expansion and/or enhancement of its detail. In support of the Midlands Engine’s growth ambitions, the model offers the capability to support the development of key strategic transport schemes across the Midlands, demonstrated by its current use for the Freeport Project’s business case for the East Midlands.
The PRTM offers opportunities to work collaboratively to support the Midlands Connect Strategy and other regionally significant objectives, providing a comprehensive and integrated one-stop modelling suite for assessing the potential capacity for growth in the region, especially in light of the government’s current policy of levelling up.
The model continues to be TAG-compliant and has recently been integrated with RapidAir - a comprehensive air pollution dispersion model which can assess air pollution for all pollutants, including CO2, across the whole Leicestershire, as well as the whole PRTM study area down to link level and by road type. Also added to the modelling suite is a newly developed Carbon Tool for early high-level scenario testing and sifting of decarbonisation policies and strategies either in a stand-alone mode or fed with PRTM output data.
The Pan Regional Transport Model includes:
- The largest geographical coverage of any single Midlands transport model
- 24 Highway Authorities
- 73 Local Planning Authorities
- 1,534 Zones and 30,200 Links
- Alignment with National Highways Regional Transport Models
- Opportunities to expand or enhance to align with its user's needs
- A 24-hour fully-fledged tour-based Variable Demand Model
- Parking Model
- Capability to model Park & Ride sites, road pricing, Clean Air Zone and other similar schemes
- Functionality to model Transformational Transport Technologies – Autonomous Vehicles and Connected Autonomous Vehicles
- A comprehensive and integrated Air Quality Emission and Dispersion Model
- A newly developed Carbon Tool for early policy sifting and scenario testing
What can the PRTM be used for?
The PRTM is used to forecast the impact of changes in transport policy, land-use and infrastructure on travel decisions, the environment, and the economy. Over the next 30 years, tens of thousands more houses and jobs will be created across the county to meet the demands of a growing population and economy. The location of these developments will affect travel patterns within their local areas, potentially extending further than originally envisaged. The PRTM can help in providing a robust and auditable evidence base to mitigate these impacts to the transport network.
Typical applications of the PRTM include:
- Major scheme bids to central government
- Informing regional and local transport, and land-use policies/strategies
- Development control
- Environmental impact of changes in land-use and/or transport infrastructure
- Scheme development and design
- Provision of supporting transport evidence for business cases
- Used for the development of the planning process including core strategies, local plans, strategic growth plans and local transport plans
- Local and strategic transport-related environmental plans, carbon and air quality assessments
Contact details
The PRTM can only be commissioned through the Environment and Transport Commissioning Framework (ETC-Framework or ETCF). For more information on this framework or accessing the PRTM, please contact:
Tom Baker - ETC-Framework Manager
