Overview of Land Use Transport Models

The previous chapters in this handbook have shown that spatial development, or land use, determines the need for spatial interaction, or transport, but that transport, by the accessibility it provides, also determines spatial development. However, it is difficult to empirically isolate impacts of land use on transport and vice versa because of the magnitude of concurrent changes of other factors. This poses a problem if the likely impacts of integrated land use and transport policies to reduce the demand for travel are to be predicted. There are principally three methods to predict those impacts. The first is to ask people how they would change their location and mobility behavior if certain factors, such as land use regulations or transport costs, would change (“stated preference”). The second consists of drawing conclusions from observed decision behavior of people under different conditions on how they would be like to behave if these factors would change (“revealed preference”). The third method is to simulate human decision behavior in mathematical models. This chapter reviews recent developments in the field of operational integrated land use transport modes, with special emphasis on their ability to test both land use and transport policies and to assess their impacts.