Here are the conference documents presented and/or prepared by the NTA
Transport Research Arena (TRA) Conference 2024
TRA2024 NTA Research Papers
Quest for innovative solutions in transportation in critical
In an era marked by the urgent need to address climate change and to improve urban mobility, the quest for innovative solutions in transportation has never been more critical. This has created an opportunity to challenge ourselves. The National Transport Authority (NTA) is determined to be at the forefront of this new era of cutting edge development. The NTA is responsible for developing and implementing strategies across Ireland to provide high quality, accessible, and sustainable transport.
With the Transport Research Arena, the NTA brings together a diverse array of research papers
With the Transport Research Arena, the NTA brings together a diverse array of research papers, each offering unique insights into various aspects of sustainable transport. From enhancing public transport accessibility for seniors in rural areas to promoting active travel through cycling propensity modelling, the papers in this collection shed light on key challenges and opportunities in the field.
Check the TRA NTA Schedule for each of these presentation.
Land Use Planning for a Better Bus: Ireland’s Approach to Orientating Development
Towards Public Transport.
by Michelle Poyourow and Eoin Farrell
Jarrett Walker & Associates, 104 Baggot Street Lower, Dublin, Ireland
and National Transport Authority, Dublin, Ireland
The National Transport Authority of Ireland, in collaboration with Jarrett Walker + Associates, has produced a guidance document illustrating how land use decisions impact the cost, effectiveness, and usage of bus services, aiming to align national investments, local development decisions, and private development to maximize the impact of major investments in bus operations, infrastructure, fleet, and technology, offering valuable advice applicable globally and crucial for addressing the climate crisis
The Walking and Cycling Index Report, a look at the dashboard feature
by Sarah McDonagh, National Transport Authority
The paper examines the Walking and Cycling Index (WACI), a comprehensive report assessing walking, wheeling, and cycling in Ireland, with the upcoming third iteration expanding to include data from four additional Irish Metropolitan areas. It discusses the potential of the WACI data, made available through online dashboards, to inform active travel investments, focusing on previously unexplored data within the report for Ireland.
Local Transport Plans: An integrative approach to local plan making
by David Clements, National Transport Authority
The paper outlines Ireland’s National Transport Authority’s (NTA) role in funding and guiding the preparation of Local Transport Plans (LTPs) across the country, based on Area Based Transport Assessment (ABTA) guidance, aimed at regional growth centers, key towns, and other identified settlements. It discusses the NTA’s unique insights into local plan making and the challenges faced in achieving modal shift and reducing transport emissions nationwide.
Developing Connectivity Tools: Improving Urban Spaces with the assistance of Connectivity Analysis
by Deborah John and Barry O’Neill,
National Transport Authority, Dublin, Ireland & Compass Informatics, Dublin, Ireland
The paper discusses Ireland’s National Transport Authority’s development of web-based tools for connectivity assessments to enhance land use and transport planning decisions, aiming for widespread adoption among Local Authorities and Government Bodies to promote sustainable development methodologies.
Using the logsum to explore transport equity in public transport planning in Ireland
by Wen Zhang, Brian Caulfield, Yeonjung Song and Barry Colleary
National Transport Authority, Ireland
Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, College Green, Dublin 2, Ireland
Department of Transport, Ireland
Kobe University, Kobe, Japan
The paper explores the use of logsum method in assessing equity impacts of transport projects, considering it a crucial aspect in transport policy, and reviews literature on measuring transport equity, utilizing a case study with the Regional Modelling System to evaluate distributional impacts across social groups and geographic locations.
Cycle propensity modelling: An extreme cycling uptake study
by Billy Brazil, Karen Whitaker, Barry Colleary, Robert Egan, Brian Caulfield
National Transport Authority, Dublin, Ireland
Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
The study explores enhancing cycling demand by adjusting model parameters and incorporating electric bikes, finding significant potential for increased cycling but with variations across regions due to factors like trip length and competing modes.
A Programmatic Approach for the Delivery of Public Transport Policy in Ireland
by Juan Martinez-Covarrubiasa, Yeonjung Song, Mark Connolly, Catherine Murray
National Transport Authority, Ireland
Department of Transport, Ireland
American University, Washington DC, United of States
Kobe University, Kobe, Japan
AECOM, Ireland
The paper analyses challenges in transitioning from transportation planning to implementation, focusing on Ireland’s substantial investment in sustainable mobility infrastructure and assessing factors affecting project delivery effectiveness, offering insights for policymakers and transport program managers worldwide.
Sustainable Transport Appraisal: A Literature Review and Implications for Policy Makers
by Yeonjung Songa, Warren Whitneya, Wen Zhang, Barry Colleary, Brian Caulfield, Juan Martinez-Covarrubias
National Transport Authority, Dublin, Ireland
Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
Kobe University, Kobe, Japan
American University, Washington, United States
The study addresses concerns about the compatibility of current transport appraisal methods with sustainability goals, highlighting the need for modal shift towards sustainable transport. It discusses how traditional methods like Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) may not align with sustainable policy goals and explores the challenges of employing Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA) to account for non-monetary benefits. Through a literature review and analysis of Ireland’s appraisal framework, the study aims to identify improvements needed for transport appraisal to align with sustainability policies.
Investigate the rural mobility and accessibility challenges of Seniors
by Tom Ryan, National Transport Authority
The paper investigates rural mobility challenges for seniors, projecting a significant demographic shift over the next twenty years in Ireland. Utilizing the PESTEL framework and qualitative interviews with stakeholders, it highlights issues such as lack of transport access to healthcare facilities and the potential of Mobility as a Service (MaaS) to alleviate rural transport poverty. The study suggests short-, medium-, and long-term recommendations to ensure rural public transport meets the needs of future generations in Ireland.
Enhanced Demand Forecasting & Digitalization
by Kevin Cox and Deborah John
The paper discusses Ireland’s National Transport Authority’s utilization of web-based technology in collaboration with all 31 Irish Local Authorities to reassess and improve population and employment datasets for the National Transport Model, aiming to enhance the accuracy and consistency of data inputs for evidence-based decisions on strategic planning and sustainable development goals.