In recent years the availability of ‘big data’ (such as from mobile phones and satnavs) has increased rapidly, while at the same time purchase costs have decreased massively, making it an ideal replacement for more costly and resource intensive data collection. Last Friday, in their opening keynote at TRANSPORT Smart Class, Wales 2020, Transport for Wales’ Geoff Ogden and Paul Chase highlighted the clear advantages and uses of big data for the new Wales regional transport models being developed by TfW, and provided an honest appraisal of where big data doesn’t quite give us all the answers at the moment. Geoff (Consultancy and Corporate Services Director) and Paul (TfW’s Strategic Transport Analysis Manager and Analytical Unit lead) also discussed the evident tension between real time ‘big data’ and traditionally accepted approaches to transport modelling. TfW is seeking to tackle this tension and to work with its partners to find quicker and easier ways of updating transport models with the latest big datasets. Their aim is to improve the evidence base that underpins transport investment decision-making in Wales.
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