Surrey CC Traffic Modelling Presentation
Attendees at the Traffic Modelling meeting had a presentation on the two types of generic traffic modelling techniques that SCC use to test new traffic or road layout scenarios. SINTRAM is SCC’s strategic model which uses data from many sources – including census data - but the volume data is averaged. Microsimulation is designed to apply actual volume (count) data to a design to simulate the impact.
Microsimulation was only used to test the effects of the Dutch Style roundabout and not on the overall effect of the Active Travel Scheme from Aldi to York Road.
The traffic data they used was from 2019 and reflected peak traffic periods. This data was projected forward to make assumptions of traffic flows in 2024 (but not beyond).
They were not prepared to tell us when the actual modelling was undertaken but only that “it informed the design of the Dutch Style Roundabout”.
They were not prepared to tell us the outcome of the modelling, but that it will be available at the drop-in centres.
The results of the modelling will be presented in the form of a report, which will also be available on the website during the consultation stage after 18th September.
Because they did not carry out any modelling along the full length of the London Road Active Travel Scheme, they did not model the effects of introducing five more Toucan Crossings (a Toucan Crossing is where either pedestrians or cyclists stop the traffic with traffic lights before crossing the road).
It was not clear that the modelling of the effects of narrower traffic lanes, or the effect on traffic congestion due to the lack of laybys at bus stops, was comprehensive.
They did not take into account the additional traffic likely to be generated by the Gosden Hill Farm development (as planning permission for GHF has not yet been granted).
No modelling was carried out to test the effect of traffic restrictions during the implementation stage.