Open access data for transport research: tools, modelling and simulation

Abstract

Motor traffic-centric perspectives dominate road infrastructure planning (Parkin, 2018). Yet, other (active) travel modes, such as cycling and walking, have been found to bring an array of benefits: improved mental and physical health, decarbonisation, as well as being more efficient in terms of space (i.e., requires less space) (Parkin, 2018). Acknowledging the significance of active travel, new policies and investment programs (e.g., Department for Transport’s £250m Active Travel Fund) have led to the increasing demand for local evidence to inform interventions such as new cycleways and better-quality pavements. As a result, this project aims to investigate the applicability of open source, namely OpenStreetMap (OSM), data understand, prioritise, and design active travel infrastructure. The overall aim of the project is to understand the use of OSM data for transport planning, which, consequently, has the potential to lead to more inclusive and accessible evidence-based decision–making due to its crowdsourced nature.