This module introduces students to a set of analytical approaches which are frequently used in transport planning practice. These include analysis of travel behaviour (Part A) and geographic information systems (GIS) (Part B). Part A aims to provide an introduction to research designs and strategies for understanding travel behaviour, acquisition and analysis of relevant data through practical exercises and transport surveys for collecting primary data. Particular emphasis is given on transport surveys for collecting revealed and stated preferences, which have been prominent in travel behaviour research. Designing such surveys and analysing the data they generate form an important part of this module. Part B introduces students to the use of GIS in planning through hands-on exercises, aiming to develop skills in the use of spatial data handling in a range of planning tasks. Each lecture of Part B is followed by a practical session which is concerned with the use of GIS in a particular planning task.

By the end of the module students should be able to: 

• recognise and understand approaches and methods in travel behaviour research;
• apply skills in the analysis of travel behaviour data using some statistical and graphical methods;
• understand the strengths and weaknesses of revealed and stated preference data;
• understand the current use of GIS in the planning domain and the use of such systems in applied planning situations;
• deal with the main data sets used by planners in GIS projects;
• appreciate the major tasks faced by researchers charged with implementing GIS in UK Local Government through practical, hands-on studies of the use of GIS, and explore the limitations of GIS.

The module will be delivered by lectures and computer lab practical sessions.

• Summarise and present travel survey data that are commonly used for transport studies;
• Perform statistical analyses of travel behaviour using IBM SPSS Statistics 20;
• Skills and expertise in a major commercial GIS package that is widely used by planners (ArcGIS); 
• Skills in data entry, analysis and presentation within ArcGIS, and experience in moving the data /results from ArcGIS to other software packages (e.g. Microsoft Word, Excel etc);
• Experience in managing GIS projects;
• Enhanced skills in computer, IT and data management skills;
• Problem-solving skills and experience of building practical solutions to abstra

Central to the course will be a major project which will require application of transport planning software for the study of urban transport issues.  

Report - Analysis and presentation of large scale travel survey dataset (50%)

Report - GIS Project (50%)

• Approaches to travel behaviour
• Travel data acquisition
• Transport surveys/questionnaires (revealed and stated preferences)
• Travel data analysis; Practical One: An introduction to analysing questionnaire data in IBM SPSS Statistics 20
• Travel data analysis; Practical Two: Using regression methods to model questionnaire data IBM SPSS Statistics 20
• Introduction to GIS and planning; Practical One: Mapping data in ArcGIS
• Representations of spatial data: the vector model and the raster model; Practical Two: Working with vector and raster data
• Spatial analysis with a vector GIS; Practical Three: Site selection and planning
• Spatial analysis with a raster GIS; Practical Four: Land use and site suitability analysis
• Network Analysis and GIS Data; Practical Five: Network analysis with a vector GIS, and GIS data input, editing, management
   

Chapman McGrew, J, Jr.and Monroe, C.B. (1999) An Introduction to Statistical Problem Solving in Geography, London, McGraw Hill, 2nd Edition.

Hensher, D.A., Rose, J.M. and Greene, W.H. (2005) Applied Choice Analysis - A Primer, Cambridge University Press, New York.

Longley, P., Goodchild,M.F, Maguire,D.J., and Rhind,D.W. (2005) Geographical Information Systems and Science. Wiley & Sons. 2nd Edition.

Martin,D. (1995) Geographic Information Systems and their socio¬economic applications, London: Routledge. 2nd edition.

Ortuzar, J.D. & Willumsen, L.G. (2001) Modelling Transport, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, Chichester. 3rd Edition.