Abstract: Mobility prediction at a European level has made considerable progress in the past few years, in particular thanks to the support for research and technological development (RTD) provided by the Fourth and Fifth Framework Programmes of the European Commission.
A major challenge in mobility prediction is the integration of (transport and non-transport) policy concerns in strategic models. These could entail a description of the driving forces of structural change and a comparative testing of policy options, packages or modules and their impact on transport.
The consultations on this topic, which have taken place in the framework of the 'Thematic network for understanding mobility prediction' (Think-up) project, have shown that there will always be a certain gap between the policy assessment and mobility prediction with the use of models. This gap is mainly due to differences between these two exercises as well as constraints of the technical tools used or the non-availability of comparative data. It can however be reduced through the development of strategic models with a stronger conceptual and theoretical basis and more importantly, a better understanding of the policy formulation process.
A better understanding of the policy formulation process can, in turn, be achieved through setting up of multi-disciplinary teams that will promote knowledge transfer across disciplines as well as national borders.
Subject Descriptors: Transport
Subject Index Codes: Transport
Stage of Development: Scientific and/or technical knowledge (basic research)
Collaboration Sought: Further research or development support
