Modelling World 2025
17-18 June 2025, Manchester Conference Centre
Why attend Modelling World?
Now that the government has initiated the development of an Integrated National Transport Strategy, the transport modelling community is challenged to support a single national vision that puts people at its heart and helps deliver integrated transport solutions that meet the needs of local communities.
In parallel, the government has set out its missions - growing the economy, an NHS fit for the future, safer streets, opportunity for all, and making Britain a clean energy superpower – and transport has a role to play in all these areas.
Are our data, tools and process up to the task? Questions that we will address at Modelling World 2025 include:
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What is meant by integration? Examples of modelling approaches that focus on integrating modes, transport and spatial planning, and different spatial levels of decision-making
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Enhancing existing model approaches to respond to the new challenges – examples of non-traditional modelling techniques that put people front and centre, and enable the benefits of integration to be evidenced
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Are current data sources and survey techniques up to the task? Modelling World will offer the opportunity to showcase emerging data sources and innovative ways of understanding people’s travel behaviour
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Will artificial intelligence make a difference? Examples and applications of artificial intelligence that make modelling better or faster
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Will the revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) really lead to vision-led planning? Examples of case studies where modelling and analytics has supported a vision that differs from the business-as-usual case
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How can developments in open data and open source models support transport integration?

17 June programme
14:00
Pendulum Foyer
Registration opens: Networking and refreshments served
14:30
Pendulum Suite
Wow! Showcasing emerging ways of modelling
and visualisation
Chair: Tom van Vuren, Chairman, Modelling World
The use of artificial intelligence
Andrew Browning, CEO, Schemeflow
The TfN Visualisation Framework: integrating models through visualisation
Luke Monaghan, Senior Analyst, Transport for the North and Alistair Brereton-Halls, Principal Consultant, Data Science, SYSTRA
Combining mobile phone location data and online surveys for detailed insights into travel behaviour
George Economides, Head of Digital Twins, Department for Transport and Caroline Broughton, Principal Spatial Data Scientist, SYSTRA
16:00
The Momentum
Innovation showcase and demo sessions
This afternoon session will offer a fast-moving series of simultaneous discussion platforms for knowledge-sharing, demonstrating tools, products and services, and getting advice from Modelling experts
Table 1: Identification and characterisation of passenger personas based on mobile network data (MND)
A methodology to identify and characterise passenger archetypes based on the travel patterns observed from MND
Ricardo Herranz, CEO, Nommon
Table 4: Open all the way down – using open source tools to derive, analyse and report land-use data
As part of Transport for the North's NorMITS framework, AECOM have collaborated with TfN on updating their generation of Land-Use data at LSOA (or equivalent) level for the entirety of Great Britain. This paper will discuss the development and use of open-source tools across this project.
Adam Ruszkowski, Principal Consultant, Aecom
Table 2: Network Planning Workspace
The tool guides a user step-by-step through the process of designing an LCWIP-style cycle network, with automatic suggestions, applying design guidance, and calculating important metrics all in real-time
Dustin Carlino, CEO, A/B Street
Table 5: A detailed comparison of MND trip chains with traditional survey data
This talk will build on previous work by Jacobs and BT Active Intelligence, which showed that mobile network data (MND) allows for the derivation of trip chains not just at daily level, but over the course of longer periods and identifying patterns attributed to different personas.
Scott Gasson, Principal Transport Modeller, Jacobs
Table 3: Insights from a South East regional travel survey
This presentation will showcase findings from a newly collected regional travel survey for the Transport for the South East area, highlighting how localised data captures the nuanced differences in travel behaviours and mode choices.
Joshua Jiao, Analysis Manager, Transport for the South East
18:00
Garden Bar
Networking: Drinks served in the Garden Bar
18:30
Pioneer Room
A life in modelling: insights from Amanda Rowlett, former Chief Analyst at the Department for Transport, introduced by Tom van Vuren, Chair, Modelling World
The three-course dinner and reception gives speakers, delegates, sponsors and exhibitors a unique opportunity to meet, network and catch-up in an informal and social environment
21:00
Day 1 close
18 June programme
Please note that the programme is currently under development and will be published soon.
08:30
Pendulum Foyer
Registration opens: Morning networking and refreshments served
09:30
Pendulum Suite
Opening plenary: Missions and Visions
Modelling and the government’s missions
Robin Cambery, Chief Transport Modeller and Head of Modelling and Appraisal Methods, Transport Appraisal and Strategic Modelling, Department for Transport
Modelling deficiencies for sustainable mobility
Omer Bor, Associated Economist, Integrated Transport Planning (a company of Royal HaskoningDHV)
Forecasting national traffic levels 1975-2025: what went wrong and how to improve it
Phil Goodwin, Emeritus Professor of Transport Policy at UCL and UWE
11:00
Pioneer Room
Morning break: Refreshments served in the exhibition area
11:30
Pendulum Suite
Active modes
Modelling the impact of built environment scenarios on multi-dimensional travel behaviours and health behaviours, exposures, and outcomes
James Woodcock, Professor of Transport and Health Modelling, University of Cambridge
Study of cycling route choice in London
Siamak Khorgami, Regional Director, UK&I Data Analytics & Mobility Insights Technical Lead, Aecom and Sam Larkin, Analyst, Transport for London
Advanced modelling tools to support the evidence base for cycle infrastructure in Cambridgeshire
Laurence Chittock, Associate, PTV
Cotton Theatre
Modelling earlier in the process – and beyond transport
TfN ambitions: Transport Intervention Needs Assessment (TINA)
Graham Kirby, Head of Data Modelling and Appraisal,Transport for the North
Light Touch Variable Demand Analysis for highway schemes in the context of undertaking appraisal earlier in the project lifecycle
Dan Fisher, Appraisal and Analysis Manager and Sam Corns, Highway Forecasting and Analysis Service – Highways Strategy Manager, Transport for Greater Manchester
Developing a Policy Model for National Highways
Matthew Sinnett, Associate, Arup, Alan Feeney, Associate Transport Planning Director, AECOM and Paul Melia, Senior Transport Planner, National Highways
Business, Residential Open Northern Economic (BRONTE) Model: Integrating land use and transport in TfN’s analytical framework
Paul Minta, Principal Analyst, Transport for the North and Tom Simpson, Land-Use Transport Interaction Modeller, SYSTRA
13:00
Pioneer Room
Networking lunch: Lunch served in the exhibition area
14:00
Pendulum Suite
Modelling integration
Identification and characterisation of last-mile delivery trips from mobile network data
Raquel Sánchez, R&D Data Scientist, Nommon Solutions and Technologies
Application of distributed value of Time (VOT) in Agent-Based Dynamic Traffic Assignment (AgDTA)
Michael Mahut, Senior Director, Mobility Simulation, Bentley Systems
Parking distribution model to understand trip planning decisions
Chris Cullen, Associate, SYSTRA
Cotton Theatre
Activity Based Models
Can we build an Activity-Based Model for the whole of Great Britain?
Laurence Chittock, Associate, PTV and Nila Sari, Principal Transport Modeller, Department for Transport
Use of an A2BM in National Highways early scheme development process
Glen McAdam, Principal Transport Planner at National Highways and Gerard Casey , Associate at Arup & Principal Research Fellow, UCL
ABMs for modelling cycling
Martijn Hollestelle, Lead Data Scientist, Ramboll
15:30
Pioneer Room
Afternoon break: Refreshments served in the exhibition area
16:00
Pendulum Suite
Closing plenary: A new generation of models and modellers?
A discussion across the generations….panellists to be announced
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Does the current generation of modellers need to retire?
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Can we forecast confidently with AI?
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Is visualisation and data science sufficient?
17:30
Garden Bar
Networking Drinks: Drinks served in the Garden Bar
Event Close

Speakers

Amanda Rowlatt
Former Chief Analyst
Department for Transport

Adam Ruszkowski
Principal Consultant
AECOM
