Arup software tests transport policy in minutes
New digital tools allow for rapid analysis of national transport scenarios, a significant improvement on previous methods.
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Engineering consultancy Arup is employing advanced digital tools to accelerate the assessment of national transport policies. The Department for Transport's National Transport Analysis Platform, a cloud-based system for national transport modelling, can now evaluate traffic, freight, and policy scenarios in a matter of minutes. This represents a substantial acceleration from the weeks previously needed for such impact assessments, according to Arup UKIMEA managing director Tom Wilcock.
The platform allows for the modelling of various changes, such as adjusting speed limits on roads, to understand their wider consequences across the entire transport network. Similarly, the introduction of a new rail line can be modelled to assess its interconnected impacts on broader transport systems. This approach is part of a wider shift towards systems-based thinking in addressing complex infrastructure challenges.
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Developments in the energy sector
Similar advancements are occurring in the energy sector, where Arup serves as the delivery and technical partner for the National Electricity System Operator (Neso) on the Virtual Energy System (VirtualES) programme. This initiative aims to construct a real-time, nationwide digital twin of the energy landscape. The programme is designed to manage a more diverse energy generation mix, including intermittent sources like wind and solar power, by developing interconnected digital twins that facilitate interaction between different organisations and the network.
Evolution of simulation software
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Arup's expertise in digital modelling extends to agent-based technology, which is used to simulate complex behaviours of individuals interacting with physical systems. The company's MassMotion software, originally developed for crowd simulation within buildings, has been adapted for applications such as designing transport interchanges. This technology helps designers and planners understand how systems respond to uncertainty by working through a range of potential scenarios.
Furthermore, Arup is developing 'surrogate models', which are AI models trained on physical simulations. These models provide approximations that can be deployed earlier in the design process, for example, in wind modelling for pedestrian comfort around buildings, offering a faster alternative to traditional computational fluid dynamics analyses.
Foundations for digital integration
Wilcock emphasised that digital tools should simplify decision-making for asset owners, operators, and users. He highlighted the foundational importance of high-quality, well-organised data and effective governance in managing emerging technologies. The VirtualES programme, for instance, is structured as an environment with established governance and standards to enable collaboration among various organisations that own different network assets.
Questions this report answers
+How quickly can transport policies be tested now?
The Department for Transport's National Transport Analysis Platform can now test policy changes in minutes. This is a significant improvement from the weeks previously required for national scale impact assessments, thanks to advances in computational power and analytical capability.
+What is the Virtual Energy System programme?
The Virtual Energy System programme is an initiative where Arup is the delivery and technical partner for the National Electricity System Operator. It aims to create a real-time, nationwide digital twin of the energy landscape to manage a more diverse and distributed energy generation and supply model.
+What was Arup's MassMotion software originally used for?
Arup's MassMotion software was originally developed for building crowd simulation. It has since been adapted for use in designing transport interchanges and modelling complex behaviours of individuals interacting with physical systems.
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