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Regional Transport Models

Regional Models are often characterised by their size and composition. They cover a much larger area than intra models, containing significant rural components, and are populated by two or more larger settlements. They are typically used to model provincial cities (such as Whangarei, in New Zealand) and corridor towns on the margins of much larger cities (such as Wollondilly in Australia). GPC have built and maintained several such models, including:

Napier-Hastings, New Zealand

Napier and Hastings are cities located on the east coast of the North Island in the Hawke's Bay. They have a combined population of 120,000 and form the hub a thriving agricultural and horticultural economy. The region as a whole has become known as the "fruit bowl" of New Zealand and has established itself as one of the leading wine producing regions in Australasia. Hastings is known as the main industrial hub of the area while Napier contains a port and is a popular tourist destination.

We have developed a TRACKS Transportation Model that:

We have been involved in modelling the area since 2003. The largest modelling study conducted in the area was the 2004 Hawke's Bay Regional Traffic Study which recommended a substantial road building programme using newly established criteria for project appraisal. The project is noted for its comprehensive coverage of Heavy Goods Vehicle Movements and vehicle emissions modelling. Additional studies include:

Whangarei, New Zealand

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The Whangarei District lies two hours drive to the north of Auckland and has a population of 70,000. After slow growth in the 1980s and 1990s the area bounced back quickly to become one of the fastest growing regions in New Zealand. A boom in the forestry sector, nice beaches, sunny climate and large increase in the cost of living in Auckland have all combined to make Whangarei a desirable place to both live and do business.

A new deep water port was established at Marsden Point in 2001 and a 15km long road was added to the transport network to connect it to State Highway One. Since then the area has become the centre of intense interest from Developers which hope to build everything from technology parks, retail centres, residential canals, to marinas.

We have developed a TRACKS Transportation Model that:

We have been involved in the modelling of the region since 2004 when GPC were commissioned to update and expand the existing Whangarei Model to include the entire district. Our entire involvement is listed below:

The model is noted for its detailed assessment of all criteria under the Land Transport Management Act 2003 (NZ): Economic Development; Accessibility; Health; Safety; and Environment.

Wollondilly, Australia

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Wollondilly is a large Shire on the outskirts of Sydney and has a population of 40,000. In recognition of their strategic location they have made significant investments in transport modelling technology to make sure development and traffic growth are planned properly.

We have been involved in the modelling the Wollondilly transport network for approximately 10 years and in that time have contributed to a number of important studies:

We have developed a Transportation Model that: