These courses are offered by the Centre for Transport Studies (CfTS):

Integrated land use – transport planning (CIV5038Z)

Course convenor: Prof. Roger Behrens (CfTS, Department of Civil Engineering)

Motivation for the course

The land use systems and transport systems of contemporary cities are manifestly interrelated. People, goods and services circulate through transport networks in order to move between, and engage with, spatially discrete urban activities, the distribution of which is reflected in patterns of land use and spatial development. Despite the significance of this connection between land use systems and transport systems, in South African cities they have typically continued to be planned and managed by different sets of professionals, working within or for different government departments, operating within different statutory planning frameworks, and producing different plans and improvement programmes implemented through different budgets. In addition, many of the transport planning practices developed under previous policy environments and within a different context continue to be applied, to some extent, under the new policy environment in the post-apartheid context. Such practices, first developed in the late 1950s, were not intended to evaluate the effects of demand management strategies and remain centrally focused on the problem of traffic congestion, and the construction of highways to alleviate the problem. In contrast, the planning frameworks embodied in South African policy and legislation since the mid-1990s clearly imply a need for an approach to urban transport planning and management which:

  • enables land use and transport planning issues to be addressed in a way which is effectively integrated with the broader integrated development planning process at the local level;
  • emphasises the provision of safe, convenient and affordable public transport services over the accommodation of private mobility; and
  • explicitly recognises and deals with issues of social inequity and environmental sustainability in the urban transport sector.

This course is intended to address these needs.

Course objectives

The objective of this course is to provide students with an overview of the problems and prospects of aligning transport planning processes with existing policy directives and contextual realities, as well as establishing a more integrated approach to the planning of urban activity and transport systems, which interact in complex ways in contemporary cities. It offers students a coherent conceptualisation of the processes involved in addressing such problems, explores methods and processes through which appropriate integrated urban land use-transport plans and programmes might be formulated, and provides opportunities to reflect critically on current developments in the field both locally and internationally.

Course structure and content

The course comprises four phases:

  1. a pre-contact period of five weeks, involving some 30–40 hours of preparatory reading and assignment;
  2. a week of intensive contact time at UCT, comprising 40–50 hours of formal lectures and class assignments;
  3. a two-hour course test (on the Monday following the contact week), intended to evaluate students’ understanding of selected aspects of the material they have been exposed to during the contact week, and
  4. a post-contact period of seven weeks, involving an assignment or assignments requiring about 100 hours of work.

The material presented during the contact period is structured around four broadly sequential but unevenly weighted themes or topics:

  • Transport in urban systems: conceptual framework: The role of transport in urban activity systems; travel need and travel behaviour; systems of urban transport provision; urban activity systems and land use patterns: the role of the urban land market and urban planning; conceptualisation of the land use-transport connection; generic city forms and associated transport networks.
  • Planning intervention in urban activity and transport systems: Rationale for planning intervention as a field of public action/policy; evolution of approaches to planning and associated planning processes and methods in both the land use and transport planning arenas; considerations of economic efficiency, social equity and environmental sustainability as planning objectives.
  • Land use-transport planning frameworks and transport planning practice in South Africa: Policy objectives and current statutory requirements for land use and transport planning in South Africa: IDPs/SDFs, ITPs; limitations of the current planning frameworks; funding for transport system interventions; case studies of integrated transport planning practice in South African cities.
  • Approaches to integrated land use-transport planning: local and international experience: Emerging approaches to integrated land use-transport planning: current concepts (transit oriented development, public transport-based development corridors); selected case studies of integrated land use-transport planning in practice: institutional (legislative, policy, organisational) issues, implementational frameworks or measures, and outcomes.

Formal presentations on these topics by both Programme staff and invited external specialists are interspersed with work on a group assignment, the product of which is presented and discussed on the last day of the course.

Readings for the preparatory assignment are issued through the course’s Amathuba website about five weeks prior to the commencement of the contact period. Additional readings may be issued during the contact week or subsequently through the Amathuba website, together with the brief for the major post-contact phase assignment.

Contact week attendance

Students are expected to attend the contact week on a full-time basis, which will require them to be resident in Cape Town for its duration given that the daily timetable during this period will generally occupy the hours from 08h00 to 17h00. Attendance for the entire contact period is a requirement, and students who are absent for more than 20% of the contact period duration will not be allowed to complete the course.

Learning outcomes

Students who have completed the course successfully should:

  • have a clear conceptual understanding of the complex dynamics of interaction between urban land use and transport systems;
  • comprehend the essential nature of the planning process and its key moments, understand why planning intervention in urban transport and land use systems is warranted, and have a critical perspective on the implications of different planning approaches for issues of appropriate process and method;
  • be familiar with the current legislative and policy frameworks governing transport and land use planning in South Africa and have a critical understanding of their implications for planning practice, particularly at the local level; and
  • be equipped to draw critically on the lessons of experience in integrated land use-transport planning both locally and internationally in this endeavour.

Assessment

The aggregate mark for this course is compiled as follows:

Work Weighting
Minor assignment based on preparatory reading 15%
Group contact week assignment 10% 
Course test 25%
Major post-contact phase assignment 50% 
Total 100%

Students who do not obtain an aggregate mark of at least 50% for their preparatory assignment, course test and post-contact phase assignment will be deemed to have failed the course.

Management of transport supply and demand
(CIV5035Z)

Course convenor: Prof. Roger Behrens (CfTS, Department of Civil Engineering)

Motivation for the course

Conventionally the urban transport problem has been framed as one of overcoming road congestion and the first post-war response of transport planners to address this problem was to increase road capacity. Recent empirical evidence, which suggests that increasing road capacity alone will not solve the problem of urban road congestion, has helped to focus the attentions of transport planners on managing transport systems, as an alternative to infrastructure construction. Thus a second ‘wave’ of responses to the urban transport problem, which still continues to this day, is that of ‘transport systems management’ (TSM). TSM is the name given to a range of tools, from traffic management to intelligent transport systems, which aim to enhance the capacity of the existing network, without major infrastructural expenditure. This approach has also been criticised on the grounds that only expanding capacity, even if major expense is not required, is simply delaying, rather than alleviating, inevitable transport problems. Over recent decades there has been increasing interest in a third ‘wave’ of responses to the urban transport problem, that is ‘travel demand management’ (TDM) which aims to reduce the demand for travel, especially vehicle travel, through voluntary, regulatory or pricing mechanisms. A fourth ‘wave’ of transport planning responses can be described as the integrated or package approach, whereby both new infrastructure, TSM and TDM are brought together in order to address the urban transport problem more holistically.

This course traces and explains the move from transport intervention as road construction for alleviating road congestion to transport intervention as a package of management measures, with many aims. It considers alternative transport supply and demand management interventions, reviews the experience of these interventions in practice, and investigates their relevance to South Africa and other developing world contexts.

Course objectives

The objective of this course is to provide students with an understanding of the legislative, policy and institutional context within which the management of transport systems takes place, the range of management measures available, and the objectives of transport supply and demand management. Through group work and input from a range of experts, students are exposed to issues in the application of management measures and current developments in the field both locally and internationally.

Course structure and content

The course comprises four phases:

  1. a pre-contact period of five weeks, involving some 30–40 hours of preparatory reading and assignment;
  2. a week of intensive contact time at UCT, comprising 40–50 hours of formal lectures and class assignments;
  3. a two-hour course test (on the Monday following the contact week), intended to evaluate students’ understanding of selected aspects of the material they have been exposed to during the contact week, and
  4. a post-contact period of seven weeks, involving an assignment or assignments requiring about 100 hours of work.

The material presented during the contact period is structured around the following broadly sequential themes or topics:

  • Context of transport management: the development of transport management approaches; organisational and legislative frameworks for transport management; theoretical perspectives on travel choice, behavioural change and traffic flow
  • Road network management: transport impact assessment; access management
  • Road space management: public transport prioritisation; case studies; road capacity change and induced and suppressed traffic phenomena
  • Transport system management: intersection redesign; urban traffic control; intelligent transport systems
  • Travel demand management: voluntary measures; regulatory measures; pricing measures; case studies

Formal presentations on these topics by both Programme staff and invited external specialists are interspersed with work on a group assignment, the product of which is presented and discussed on the last day of the course.

Readings for the preparatory assignment are issued through the course’s Amathuba website about five weeks prior to the commencement of the contact period. Additional readings may be issued during the contact week or subsequently through the Amathuba website, together with the brief for the major post-contact phase assignment.

Contact week attendance

Students are expected to attend the contact week on a full-time basis, which will require them to be resident in Cape Town for its duration given that the daily timetable during this period will generally occupy the hours from 08h00 to 17h00. Attendance for the entire contact period is a requirement, and students who are absent for more than 20% of the contact period duration will not be allowed to complete the course.

Learning outcomes

Students who have completed the course successfully should:

  • be familiar with the intentions of the current legislative and policy framework for transport management in South Africa;
  • understand the components of different transport management processes applied over time, and be able the identify the objectives of these processes;
  • be able to identify the implications changed policy environments have for transport management practices; and
  • be able to undertake preliminary transport management design for an urban transport corridor in South Africa to the conceptual planning stage, drawing on the lessons of experience elsewhere.

Assessment

The aggregate mark for this course is compiled as follows:

Work Weighting
Minor assignment based on preparatory reading 15%
Group contact week assignment 10% 
Course test 25%
Major post-contact phase assignment 50% 
Total 100%

Students who do not obtain an aggregate mark of at least 50% for their preparatory assignment, course test and post-contact phase assignment will be deemed to have failed the course.

Transport demand analysis and project assessment
(CIV5132Z)      

Course convenor: Prof. Marianne Vanderschuren (CfTS, Department of Civil Engineering)

Motivation for the course

Transport systems, and the array of planned interventions into these systems, have become too complex for many conventional urban passenger transport demand analysis practices. In particular a shift in passenger transport policy away from the supply of additional road capacity as the principle means of addressing transport problems, to an appropriate balance between infrastructure supply and the management of transport systems and the way passengers use them, has introduced significant additional complexities for data collection, processing and analysis, as well as transport project evaluation and assessment practices. Quality travel data is needed to analyse and frame urban passenger transport problems, and to monitor changing patterns of travel demand and travel behaviour in response to system interventions. Transport programme and project evaluation and assessment methods are needed to ensure that operationally effective, socially equitable and environmentally sustainable benefits are derived from interventions into transport systems. Many current methods of data collection, processing and evaluation were developed during a period of relative economic prosperity in the developed world, in order to facilitate the large-scale construction of inter- and intra-city freeways and arterials. These methods often omit important aspects of travel demand from data collection and modelling, tend to be cross-sectional or static in their analysis of transport patterns, and fail to incorporate social justice and environmental issues adequately. A new policy discourse requires the utilisation of a broader set of methods for data collection, processing and evaluation. This course is intended to address that need.

Course objectives

The objective of this course is to familiarise students with survey, data processing and assessment tools used during different stages of the transport planning process. Different approaches and the advantages and disadvantages of the various tools and analytical techniques identified are discussed. The course exposes students to current developments in the field both locally and internationally.

Course structure and content

The course comprises four phases:

  1. a pre-contact period of five weeks, involving some 30-40 hours of preparatory reading and assignments;
  2. a week of intensive contact time at UCT, comprising 40-50 hours of formal lectures and class assignments;
  3. a two-hour course test (on the Monday following the contact week), intended to evaluate students’ understanding of selected aspects of the material they have been exposed to during the contact week, and
  4. a post-contact period of seven weeks, involving an assignment or assignments requiring about 100 hours of work.

The material presented during the contact period is structured around the following broadly sequential themes or topics:

  • The rationale for assessment: the objectives that drive the assessment process
  • Travel data collection: different methodological approaches to data collection; potential survey problems
  • Travel data processing: the different ways to process and analyse data, and fulfil statistical requirements
  • Assessment: techniques for the evaluation and assessment of urban transport proposals: cost-benefit analysis and multi-criteria analysis; theoretical and philosophical critiques of evaluation and assessment methods

Formal presentations on these topics by both Programme staff and invited external specialists are interspersed with work on a group assignment, the product of which is presented and discussed on the last day of the course.

Readings for the preparatory assignment are issued through the course’s Amathuba website about five weeks prior to the commencement of the contact period. Additional readings may be issued during the contact week or subsequently through the Amathuba website, together with the brief for the major post-contact phase assignment.

Contact week attendance

Students are expected to attend the contact week on a full-time basis, which will require them to be resident in Cape Town for its duration given that the daily timetable during this period will generally occupy the hours from 08h00 to 17h00. Attendance for the entire contact period is a requirement, and students who are absent for more than 20% of the contact period duration will not be allowed to complete the course.

Learning outcomes

Students who have completed the course successfully should:

  • be familiar with the available data collection, processing and assessment tools, and their appropriate use in the various stages of the transport planning process;
  • be able to select appropriate tools for specific transport problems, and should be familiar with the basic operation of these tools; and
  • be able to interpret the results generated by different assessment tools.

Assessment

The aggregate mark for this course is compiled as follows:

Work Weighting
Minor assignment based on preparatory reading 15%
Group contact week assignment 10% 
Course test 25%
Major post-contact phase assignment 50% 
Total 100%

Students who do not obtain an aggregate mark of at least 50% for their preparatory assignment, course test and post-contact phase assignment will be deemed to have failed the course.

Transport modelling
(CIV5133Z)   

Course convenor: Prof. Mark Zuidgeest (CfTS, Department of Civil Engineering), co-convened by Dr Philipp Fröhlich (Honorary Research Associate - University of Cape Town & TransSol Ltd., Switzerland)

Motivation for the course

Transport systems in modern cities, and the methods required to plan and manage them, have become increasingly complex. In particular a shift in passenger transport policy away from the supply of additional road capacity as the principle means of addressing transport problems, to an appropriate balance between infrastructure supply and the management of transport systems and the way passengers use them, has introduced significant additional complexities for travel demand modelling. Transport models are needed to anticipate the nature and extent of future urban passenger transport problems, and to predict the impact that alternative supply- and demand-side interventions might have in addressing these problems. Many current transport modelling methods were developed during a period of relative economic prosperity in the developed world, in order to facilitate the large-scale construction of inter- and intra-city freeways and arterials. These methods have limitations in estimating the consequences of strategies aimed at changing travel behaviour and at improving transport system operations. A new policy discourse requires the utilisation of a broader set of transport modelling tools. This course is intended to address that need.

Course objectives

The objective of this course is to understand transport modelling principles and to develop skills in working with these models. The course explores the theories behind transport modelling, as well as the applicability of different models for different scales, as well as different planning applications. The advantages and disadvantages of different approaches are discussed. The course exposes students to current developments in the field both locally and internationally.

The course comprises four phases:

  1. a pre-contact period of five weeks, involving some 30–40 hours of preparatory reading and assignment;
  2. a week of intensive contact time at UCT, comprising 40–50 hours of formal lectures and class assignments;
  3. a two-hour course test (on the Monday following the contact week), intended to evaluate students’ understanding of selected aspects of the material they have been exposed to during the contact week, and
  4. a post-contact period of seven weeks, involving an assignment or assignments requiring about 100 hours of work.

The material presented during the contact period is structured around the following broadly sequential themes or topics:

  • Four-step model: trip generation; trip distribution; mode choice; and traffic assignment; mathematical theory; the calibration, validation and verification process
  • Transport modelling types and scales: macroscopic, mesoscopic and microscopic models; strategic and policy appraisal models; appropriateness of the use of models for different purposes and theoretical critiques
  • Traffic flow theory: capacity assessment; techniques for calculating levels-of-service; traffic speed-flow-density relationships; shockwave analysis; dynamic traffic management and elementary traffic control design

Formal presentations on these topics by both Programme staff and invited external specialists are interspersed with work on a group assignment, the product of which is presented and discussed on the last day of the course.

Readings for the preparatory assignment are issued through the course’s Amathuba website about five weeks prior to the commencement of the contact period. Additional readings may be issued during the contact week or subsequently through the Amathuba website, together with the brief for the major post-contact phase assignment.

Contact week attendance

Students are expected to attend the contact week on a full-time basis, which will require them to be resident in Cape Town for its duration given that the daily timetable during this period will generally occupy the hours from 08h00 to 17h00. Attendance for the entire contact period is a requirement, and students who are absent for more than 20% of the contact period duration will not be allowed to complete the course.

Learning outcomes

Students who have completed the course successfully should:

  • be familiar with the available transport modelling methods, and their appropriate use in the various stages of the transport planning process;
  • be able to select appropriate modelling tools for specific transport problems, and should be familiar with the basic operation of these modelling tools; and
  • be able to interpret the results generated by different modelling tools.

Assessment

The aggregate mark for this course is compiled as follows:

Work Weighting
Minor assignment based on preparatory reading 15%
Group contact week assignment 10% 
Course test 25%
Major post-contact phase assignment 50% 
Total 100%

Students who do not obtain an aggregate mark of at least 50% for their preparatory assignment, course test and post-contact phase assignment will be deemed to have failed the course.

Discrete choice modelling and stated choice survey design (CIV5127Z)  

Course convenor: Prof. Mark Zuidgeest (CfTS, Department of Civil Engineering), co-convened by Prof. Stephane Hess (Honorary Professor - University of Cape Town & University of Leeds, United Kingdom)

Motivation for the course

Discrete choice modelling offers a statistical technique typically used in marketing research, which has more recently drawn the attention of transport specialists. Choice models model the decision process of an individual or a market segment in a particular context. It looks at choices that customers make between products or services (a new BRT transport service for example) and use these to identify systematic patterns in observed or hypothetical choices. The estimated models can for example be used to predict how consumers respond to competing products and estimate the impact of product innovation or changes in income on the share of public transport. Stated choice surveys provide a survey methodology for investigating hypothetical travel behaviour. Stated choice survey design looks at how to collect the data for efficient discrete choice model estimation with as little bias as possible.

South African issues related to innovation and modernization in the transportation, health and other sectors demand knowledge on choice behaviour of consumers and trip makers alike and better understanding of the ways to model choice behaviour and collect data to estimate these models. The course therefore covers all the steps required for successful choice modelling analyses, from inception via survey design and data collection to modelling and implementation.

Course objectives

The objectives of this course are: to provide participants with an introduction to the theory of discrete choice models and their data requirements; to train participants in the setting-up and estimation of various types of discrete choice models using commonly available software; to learn to use and appraise the results of a discrete choice model and how to use them for forecasting in Apollo; to present various case studies of discrete choice methods in the African context (transport, health economics etc.); to provide participants with an introduction to the theory of stated choice surveys; to train participants in the (efficient) design of stated choice surveys; to learn to use and appreciate the development of efficient design in a model like Ngene; and to present various case studies of stated choice survey design in the African context (transport, health economics etc.).

The course comprises four phases:

  1. a pre-contact period of five weeks, involving some 30–40 hours of preparatory reading and assignment;
  2. a week of intensive contact time at UCT, comprising 40–50 hours of formal lectures and class assignments;
  3. a two-hour course test (on the Monday following the contact week), intended to evaluate students’ understanding of selected aspects of the material they have been exposed to during the contact week, and
  4. a post-contact period of seven weeks, involving an assignment or assignments requiring about 100 hours of work.

The material presented during the contact period is structured around the following broadly sequential themes or topics:

  • Discrete choice modelling: Multinomial Logit Model; Model estimation; Interpreting model results, appraisal & forecasting; Specification testing; Nested Logit; other GEV models; Mixed Logit, Latest Class models; Random Utility models. Exercises on Multinomial Logit, Mixed Logit, GEVE estimation and model fitting; Case studies in Africa
  • Stated choice survey design: Stated Choice Surveys, Fractional factorial design; Orthogonal design; Survey examples; Issues with orthogonal design; efficient design. Exercises on generating efficient designs using Ngene. Case studies in Africa.

Formal presentations on these topics by both Programme staff and invited external specialists are interspersed with work on a group assignment, the product of which is presented and discussed on the last day of the course.

Readings for the preparatory assignment are issued through the course’s Amathuba website about five weeks prior to the commencement of the contact period. Additional readings may be issued during the contact week or subsequently through the Amathuba website, together with the brief for the major post-contact phase assignment.

Contact week attendance

Students are expected to attend the contact week on a full-time basis, which will require them to be resident in Cape Town for its duration given that the daily timetable during this period will generally occupy the hours from 08h00 to 17h00. Attendance for the entire contact period is a requirement, and students who are absent for more than 20% of the contact period duration will not be allowed to complete the course.

Learning outcomes

Students who have completed the course successfully should:

  • understand the principles of discrete choice modelling;
  • understand the principles of stated choice surveys;
  • know emerging data collection methods in the field;
  • be able to set-up and measure a discrete choice model;
  • be able to develop an efficient stated choice experiment; and
  • appreciate the application of discrete choice modelling techniques and that of stated choice survey design in in various sectors and in the African context.

Assessment

The aggregate mark for this course is compiled as follows:

Work Weighting
Minor assignment based on preparatory reading 15%
Group contact week assignment 10% 
Course test 25%
Major post-contact phase assignment 50% 
Total 100%

Students who do not obtain an aggregate mark of at least 50% for their preparatory assignment, course test and post-contact phase assignment will be deemed to have failed the course.

Public transport policy and regulation (CIV5070Z)     

Course convenor: Prof. Roger Behrens (CfTS, Department of Civil Engineering)

Motivation for the course

Considerable investment is occurring in, and is planned for, the upgrading and expansion of public transport rolling stock and infrastructure in South African cities. There is a need to produce a cohort of appropriately skilled practitioners to formulate policies that guide this investment and the associated development of integrated and productive public transport systems, and to develop frameworks through these systems can be effectively regulated. The targeted pool of potential students includes existing and prospective practitioners within the public transport sector, responsible for planning, regulating, operating and managing urban rail, bus and paratransit passenger services.

Course objectives

The objective of this course is to provide students with an overview of the theories and practices associated with the regulation of intra-city public transport systems, and with the formulation of policies that guide the development of integrated multi-modal systems. It explores contemporary institutional, system planning, funding and competition regulation issues. It exposes students to current developments in the field both locally and internationally.

The course comprises four phases:

  1. a pre-contact period of five weeks, involving some 30–40 hours of preparatory reading and assignment;
  2. a week of intensive contact time at UCT, comprising 40–50 hours of formal lectures and class assignments;
  3. a two-hour course test (on the Monday following the contact week), intended to evaluate students’ understanding of selected aspects of the material they have been exposed to during the contact week, and
  4. a post-contact period of seven weeks, involving an assignment or assignments requiring about 100 hours of work.

The material presented during the contact period is structured around the following broadly sequential themes or topics:

  • Legislative and planning frameworks: institutional, legislative, financing and planning frameworks for integrated public transport infrastructure provision and service operation.
  • Public transport policy: policy debates on subsidisation and competition regulation; mode alternatives analysis; international case studies of public transport system reform.
  • Paratransit reform: operator consolidation and transition; fleet renewal; service upgrade; integration with scheduled services.
  • Public transport system regulation and competition: industry structures; approaches to regulation and competition; licensing and contracting.
  • Quality of service: quality-of-service measurement; passenger satisfaction measurement; passenger information systems and way-finding.

Formal presentations on these topics by both Programme staff and invited external specialists are interspersed with work on a group assignment, the product of which is presented and discussed on the last day of the course.

Readings for the preparatory assignment are issued through the course’s Amathuba website about five weeks prior to the commencement of the contact period. Additional readings may be issued during the contact week or subsequently through the Amathuba website, together with the brief for the major post-contact phase assignment.

Contact week attendance

Students are expected to attend the contact week on a full-time basis, which will require them to be resident in Cape Town for its duration given that the daily timetable during this period will generally occupy the hours from 08h00 to 17h00. Attendance for the entire contact period is a requirement, and students who are absent for more than 20% of the contact period duration will not be allowed to complete the course.

Learning outcomes

Students who have completed the course successfully should:

  • understand important policy challenges and debates facing the reform, regulation and subsidisation of public transport systems in contemporary South African cities;
  • understand the operating characteristics of alternative public transport modes, and be able to assess the appropriateness of different modes to different urban contexts, demand conditions and operating environments
  • understand the challenges facing paratransit reform, and the alternative approaches to upgrading services and including these services in integrated public transport systems
  • understand alternative competition regulation systems and there relative strengths and weaknesses
  • be able to measure quality-of-service and passenger satisfaction.

Assessment

The aggregate mark for this course is compiled as follows:

Work Weighting
Minor assignment based on preparatory reading 15%
Group contact week assignment 10% 
Course test 25%
Major post-contact phase assignment 50% 
Total 100%

Students who do not obtain an aggregate mark of at least 50% for their preparatory assignment, course test and post-contact phase assignment will be deemed to have failed the course.

Big data analytics and transport
(CIV5164Z)

Course convenor: Dr Obiora Nnene (CfTS, Department of Civil Engineering)

Motivation for the course

Data-driven decision-making is the cornerstone of creating more efficient, sustainable, and accessible transportation systems. Big data, which refers to extremely large and complex sets of data that exceed the capabilities of traditional data processing methods, iscrucial in addressing the complex challenges of urban congestion, environmental sustainability, and equitable access to transportation services faced in many South African cities.This course focuses on the vital intersection of transport system planning and management with big data. It bridges the gap between big data, data science, and the analysis of transportation systems. The course introduces novel methodologies and advancements in big data analytics, modelling paradigms, and their practical applications in transportation systems analysis. The course will benefit a diverse range of practitioners and students interested in acquiring the knowledge and skills needed to harness the power of big data for planning, managing, and optimizing transportation systems. Course participants can contribute to more efficient, sustainable, and responsive transportation solutions by learning how to make data-driven decisions.

Course objectives

This course aims to equip participants with the knowledge, skills, and tools needed to address real-world transportation challenges using big data analytics, fostering a new generation of professionals capable of making data-informed decisions. Fundamental concepts of big data will be introduced, including the characteristics of big data (volume, velocity, variety, etc.), data storage and management, and the importance of data quality. Ultimately, course participants will be equipped with the skills and knowledge to effectively navigate transportation data, enabling them to pose pertinent questions and make informed decisions that shape the future of transportation.

Course structure and content

The course comprises four phases:

  1. a pre-contact period of five weeks, involving some 30–40 hours of preparatory reading and assignment;
  2. a week of intensive contact time at UCT, comprising 40–50 hours of formal lectures and class assignments;
  3. a two-hour course test (on the Monday following the contact week), intended to evaluate students’ understanding of selected aspects of the material they have been exposed to during the contact week, and
  4. a post-contact period of seven weeks, involving an assignment or assignments requiring about 100 hours of work.

The material presented during the contact period is structured around the following broadly sequential themes or topics:

  • Types and sources of transport data
  • The process of capturing and storing big data
  • Big data modelling and optimization techniques
  • Data analytics and visualisation
  • Statistical and machine learning techniques for big data

Formal presentations on these topics by both Programme staff and invited external specialists are interspersed with work on a group assignment, the product of which is presented and discussed on the last day of the course.

Readings for the preparatory assignment are issued through the course’s Amathuba website about five weeks prior to the commencement of the contact period. Additional readings may be issued during the contact week or subsequently through the Amathuba website, together with the brief for the major post-contact phase assignment.

Contact week attendance

Students are expected to attend the contact week on a full-time basis, which will require them to be resident in Cape Town for its duration given that the daily timetable during this period will generally occupy the hours from 08h00 to 17h00. Attendance for the entire contact period is a requirement, and students who are absent for more than 20% of the contact period duration will not be allowed to complete the course.

Learning outcomes

Students who have completed the course successfully should:

  • understand big data fundamentals in a transportation context;
  • understand the requirements for collecting, pre-processing, and storing big data;
  • translate real-time data into real-world results that mitigate transportation challenges;
  • understand how to model big data for future mobility systems;
  • understand the linkage between big data and intelligent transport systems;
  • understand the application of big data to concepts like digital twins and building information modelling in a transportation context; and
  • be able to make predictions for transport planning and traffic management using machine learning and artificial intelligence.

Assessment

The aggregate mark for this course is compiled as follows:

Work Weighting
Minor assignment based on preparatory reading 15%
Group contact week assignment 10% 
Course test 25%
Major post-contact phase assignment 50% 
Total 100%

Students who do not obtain an aggregate mark of at least 50% for their preparatory assignment, course test and post-contact phase assignment will be deemed to have failed the course.

Public transport system design and operations management (CIV5071Z)   

Course convenor: Prof. Mark Zuidgeest (CfTS, Department of Civil Engineering), assisted by Mr Pieter Onderwater of HATCH

Motivation for the course

Considerable investment is occurring in, and is planned for, the upgrading and expansion of public transport infrastructure and rolling stock in South Africa. There is a need to produce a cohort of appropriately skilled practitioners to design, operate and manage these public transport systems. In this course both road-based and rail-based public transport systems are discussed, focusing on the design and operations of these systems (and their integration). The course discusses the various stages in developing a comprehensive and integrated public transport plan. Students are accordingly trained in the (quantitative) techniques to perform the various calculations necessary for design and operations of public transport systems.

Course objectives

This course aims to develop an advanced understanding of public passenger transport system design and operations management. It exposes students to current developments in the field both locally and internationally.

The course comprises four phases:

  1. a pre-contact period of five weeks, involving some 30–40 hours of preparatory reading and assignment;
  2. a week of intensive contact time at UCT, comprising 40–50 hours of formal lectures and class assignments;
  3. a two-hour course test (on the Monday following the contact week), intended to evaluate students’ understanding of selected aspects of the material they have been exposed to during the contact week, and
  4. a post-contact period of seven weeks, involving an assignment or assignments requiring about 100 hours of work.

The material presented during the contact period is structured around the following broadly sequential themes or topics:

  • Passenger markets: Different methodological approaches to estimating transit demand, including reiterating the link land use – transit use. Aspects of data collection in the South African context are also discussed.
  • Passenger quality needs: Different service quality requirements for different user groups in the South African context adopting Maslow’s theory of Hierarchy of Needs are discussed.
  • Networks and level of service: Different public transport systems and their characteristics in view of the available passenger markets are discussed. Bus and rail capacity as well as stop and station capacity are discussed as well. Network design and integration concepts are introduced.
  • Transit operations: The various operational concepts of public transport systems (frequency, headways, capacity, cycle lengths, scheduling, terminal times, travel time components, fare systems etc.) are discussed
  • Capacity and infrastructure: State-of-the-art technology, gauge discussions, rolling stock are discussed in relation to Transit operations and LOS issues
  • Cost-Benefit Analysis: The direct and indirect costs and benefits of the various system options are discussed.
  • Public transport plan: A framework for developing an integrated public transport plan is part of a group assignment which builds up in level of complexity over the course days.

Formal presentations on these topics by both Programme staff and invited external specialists are interspersed with work on a group assignment, the product of which is presented and discussed on the last day of the course.

Readings for the preparatory assignment are issued through the course’s Amathuba website about five weeks prior to the commencement of the contact period. Additional readings may be issued during the contact week or subsequently through the Amathuba website, together with the brief for the major post-contact phase assignment.

Contact week attendance

Students are expected to attend the contact week on a full-time basis, which will require them to be resident in Cape Town for its duration given that the daily timetable during this period will generally occupy the hours from 08h00 to 17h00. Attendance for the entire contact period is a requirement, and students who are absent for more than 20% of the contact period duration will not be allowed to complete the course.

Learning outcomes

Students who have completed the course successfully should:

  • have a clear conceptual understanding of key challenges of public transport systems design and operations
  • comprehend the interactions between the different components of public transport design and operations, i.e. service quality, passenger demand, infrastructure, transit operations and evaluation
  • be familiar with the current challenges of public transport systems in South Africa and have a critical understanding of their implications for the competitiveness of public transport
  • be equipped to do basic calculations on transit line capacity, scheduling and network design.

Assessment

The aggregate mark for this course is compiled as follows:

Work Weighting
Minor assignment based on preparatory reading 15%
Group contact week assignment 10% 
Course test 25%
Major post-contact phase assignment 50% 
Total 100%

Students who do not obtain an aggregate mark of at least 50% for their preparatory assignment, course test and post-contact phase assignment will be deemed to have failed the course.

Local area transport planning, management and design (CIV5036Z)  

Course convenor: Prof. Roger Behrens (CfTS, Department of Civil Engineering)

Motivation for the course

South African local area movement network design practices have tended to draw from British and American concepts concerned primarily with through-traffic elimination and safe pedestrian movement within neighbourhoods delimited by grids of limited access arterials and freeways. These design concepts assume that widespread access to private transport is inevitable and that walking trips are internal to the neighbourhood and localised in nature. The simultaneous emergence, in the late 1980s and 1990s in different parts of the world, of new practices that challenge these assumptions, suggests that a significant shift in what is dominantly regarded as ‘best practice’ internationally has begun. There is a need to reconsider the appropriateness and underlying assumptions of local movement network design practices in South Africa as well. New concepts need to be developed in which local networks are configured first to meet the needs of non-motorised and public transport modes, and then to accommodate the use of motor cars.

South African local area movement network management practices, in the form of traffic calming and the introduction of facilities for pedestrians, cyclists and persons with movement disabilities, have tended to be uncoordinated and reactive. Practice has tended to focus on the circumstances under which different types of retrofitting measures might be warranted at specific sites. As a result management practices have often not undertaken causal analyses of problems beyond localised traffic engineering assessment of road environment factors, and little attention has been paid to pedestrian and bicycle network severance and connectivity. Improved network management practices will require co-ordinated and proactive pedestrian planning, bicycle planning and traffic calming, integrated within wider spatial development and travel demand management frameworks, and informed by analytical techniques that go beyond hazardous road accident, or ‘black spot’, identification.

This course is intended to address these challenges.

Course objectives

The objective of this course is to provide students with an overview of the planning and implementation of transport improvements at a local area (as opposed to city-wide) scale. It explores local area network design practices appropriate to the South African context, as well as the management of networks through co-ordinated and proactive traffic calming and pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure provision. It exposes students to current developments in the field both locally and internationally.

The course comprises four phases:

  1. a pre-contact period of five weeks, involving some 30–40 hours of preparatory reading and assignment;
  2. a week of intensive contact time at UCT, comprising 40–50 hours of formal lectures and class assignments;
  3. a two-hour course test (on the Monday following the contact week), intended to evaluate students’ understanding of selected aspects of the material they have been exposed to during the contact week, and
  4. a post-contact period of seven weeks, involving an assignment or assignments requiring about 100 hours of work.

The material presented during the contact period is structured around the following broadly sequential themes or topics:

  • Street design: street functions; urban design and landscaping of streets; geometric design of roadways and intersections; case studies
  • Network design: origins and evolution of local area movement network design and management practices; road classification and hierarchies; impacts of network design practices on travel behaviour and road safety
  • Traffic calming: planning and implementation frameworks for traffic calming; traffic volume management; traffic speed management; case studies
  • Non-motorised travel modes and universal access: management of local area networks to accommodate pedestrians, bicycles, and persons with disabilities; case studies

Formal presentations on these topics by both Programme staff and invited external specialists are interspersed with work on a group assignment, the product of which is presented and discussed on the last day of the course.

Readings for the preparatory assignment are issued through the course’s Amathuba website about five weeks prior to the commencement of the contact period. Additional readings may be issued during the contact week or subsequently through the Amathuba website, together with the brief for the major post-contact phase assignment.

Contact week attendance

Students are expected to attend the contact week on a full-time basis, which will require them to be resident in Cape Town for its duration given that the daily timetable during this period will generally occupy the hours from 08h00 to 17h00. Attendance for the entire contact period is a requirement, and students who are absent for more than 20% of the contact period duration will not be allowed to complete the course.

Learning outcomes

Students who have completed the course successfully should:

  • be familiar with the planning and implementational frameworks through which local area movement networks are designed and managed in South Africa;
  • be able to identify the implications changed transport policy environments have for local area movement network design and management practices;
  • have an appreciation of the varying perspectives of the professional disciplines involved in local area movement network design and management;
  • have a basic knowledge of network, street, intersection, roadway, pathway and cycleway design; and
  • be able to contribute effectively to the preparation of local area transport plans.

Assessment

The aggregate mark for this course is compiled as follows:

Work Weighting
Minor assignment based on preparatory reading 15%
Group contact week assignment 10% 
Course test 25%
Major post-contact phase assignment 50% 
Total 100%

Students who do not obtain an aggregate mark of at least 50% for their preparatory assignment, course test and post-contact phase assignment will be deemed to have failed the course.

Non-motorised transportation (CIV5039Z)

Course convenor: Prof. Marianne Vanderschuren (CfTS, Department of Civil Engineering), assisted by Dr Hubrecht Ribbens

Motivation for the course

The development of South African passenger transport policy in the post-apartheid era has seen the emergence, arguably for the first time, of non-motorised transport (NMT) (i.e. modes of travel without motorised means of propulsion, i.e. walking, bicycles, wheelchairs, perambulators, human-drawn carts/trolleys, animal-drawn carts, etc.) as an important policy issue on the grounds that these modes are depended upon by the large majority of impoverished households. There are clear policy prescriptions that require that NMT should be planned for, and accommodated in, passenger transport systems. As a result, in recent years transport professionals have moved into relatively new and less developed fields of planning and design practice, and an associated demand has developed for skills in the formulation and implementation of effective non-motorised transportation strategies and infrastructure improvement plans. This course was developed to address this demand.

Course objectives

The objective of this course is to provide students with an overview of the planning and implementation of transport improvements for non-motorised travel modes. It explores the NMT planning and design practices necessary to respond effectively to an increasing emphasis in passenger transport policy on the importance of non-motorised transport modes. It exposes students to current developments in the field both locally and internationally.

The course comprises four phases:

  1. a pre-contact period of five weeks, involving some 30–40 hours of preparatory reading and assignment;
  2. a week of intensive contact time at UCT, comprising 40–50 hours of formal lectures and class assignments;
  3. a two-hour course test (on the Monday following the contact week), intended to evaluate students’ understanding of selected aspects of the material they have been exposed to during the contact week, and
  4. a post-contact period of seven weeks, involving an assignment or assignments requiring about 100 hours of work.

The material presented during the contact period is structured around the following broadly sequential themes or topics:

  • Contextual background: the extent of NMT travel in South African cities and NMT problems; NMT in rural areas, planning frameworks for NMT infrastructure improvements
  • Analytical methods: NMT site analysis; NMT network analysis; NMT modelling and simulation
  • Footway and pathway design: design criteria; network design principles; cross-section design; signage and marking, lighting and barriers; pedestrian precincts
  • Cycleway design: low-cost bicycle supply and promotion; design criteria; cycleway classification; network design principles; cross-section design; signage and marking; bicycle parking facilities
  • Pedestrian and bicycle crossing facilities: crossing facilities; pedestrian crossing behaviour; crossing signals

Formal presentations on these topics by both Programme staff and invited external specialists are interspersed with work on a group assignment, the product of which is presented and discussed on the last day of the course.

Readings for the preparatory assignment are issued through the course’s Amathuba website about five weeks prior to the commencement of the contact period. Additional readings may be issued during the contact week or subsequently through the Amathuba website, together with the brief for the major post-contact phase assignment.

Contact week attendance

Students are expected to attend the contact week on a full-time basis, which will require them to be resident in Cape Town for its duration given that the daily timetable during this period will generally occupy the hours from 08h00 to 17h00. Attendance for the entire contact period is a requirement, and students who are absent for more than 20% of the contact period duration will not be allowed to complete the course.

Learning outcomes

Students who have completed the course successfully should:

  • have an understanding of the importance of non-motorised transportation in South African human settlements;
  • be able to select and apply appropriate methods of analysing pedestrian and bicycle networks;
  • have an understanding of non-motorised transportation infrastructure design processes, design issues and design conventions.

Assessment

The aggregate mark for this course is compiled as follows:

Work Weighting
Minor assignment based on preparatory reading 15%
Group contact week assignment 10% 
Course test 25%
Major post-contact phase assignment 50% 
Total 100%

Students who do not obtain an aggregate mark of at least 50% for their preparatory assignment, course test and post-contact phase assignment will be deemed to have failed the course.

Transport systems simulations (CIV5165Z)

Course convener: Dr Obiora Nnene (CfTS, Department of Civil Engineering)

Motivation for the course

Simulations allow for modelling complex transportation scenarios and testing various strategies that help transport authorities and policymakers predict outcomes, optimise performance, and make informed decisions. The course offers the opportunity to understand how simulation models can support modern transport systems' optimal design and supply that reflect stakeholders' decision-making. Given South Africa's unique transport context of a mixed operating environment featuring formal transport systems like buses and BRT operating alongside informal or unscheduled services like minibus taxis, which currently satisfy the largest share of travel demand, applying simulation techniques in transport systems is particularly interesting. Simulations are experiment-based techniques that offer robust tools for describing, in microscopic detail, the disaggregated nature of travel and the often complex and autonomous decision-making process of stakeholders like travellers and operators within a travel environment. The impacts of the transport network and associated interventions on specific sub-groups within a population from the perspective of the individual traveller will also be understood.Students and course participants will learn to design transport systems using state-of-the-art simulation-based techniques in the course.

Course objectives

This course introduces methods of simulating the functioning of complex and dynamic transport systems. The purpose of these simulations is to support decision-making in relation to how such complex and dynamic systems are designed, managed, and regulated. Course modules will cover the foundations and motivation of decision-making by different actors (from users to operators to transport authorities), the fundamentals of simulation modelling in support of decision-making, the data requirements of such simulation models, and the varying application of different models to transport system components such as the network, service operation, and travel behaviour. Knowledge areas drawn from the course include activity-based simulations, optimisation, big data modelling, and computational science. Practical exercises and case studies will be presented.

Course structure and content

The course comprises four phases:

  1. a pre-contact period of five weeks, involving some 30–40 hours of preparatory reading and assignment;
  2. a week of intensive contact time at UCT, comprising 40–50 hours of formal lectures and class assignments;
  3. a two-hour course test (on the Monday following the contact week), intended to evaluate students’ understanding of selected aspects of the material they have been exposed to during the contact week, and
  4. a post-contact period of seven weeks, involving an assignment or assignments requiring about 100 hours of work.

The material presented during the contact period is structured around the following broadly sequential themes or topics:

  • Types of transport models,
  • The fundamentals of transportation decision-making,
  • The fundamentals of simulation modelling in transportation,
  • Data requirements for simulation models,
  • Applications of simulation modelling in transportation.

Formal presentations on these topics by both Programme staff and invited external specialists are interspersed with work on a group assignment, the product of which is presented and discussed on the last day of the course.
Readings for the preparatory assignment are issued through the course’s Amathuba website about five weeks before the commencement of the contact period. Additional readings may be issued during the contact week or through the Amathuba course website, together with the major post-contact phase assignment brief.

Contact week attendance

Students are expected to attend the contact week on a full-time basis, which will require them to be resident in Cape Town for its duration, given that the daily timetable during this period will generally occupy the hours from 08h00 to 17h00. Attendance for the entire contact period is a requirement, and students who are absent for more than 20% of the contact period duration will not be allowed to complete the course.

Learning outcomes

Students who have completed the course successfully should;

  • understand the foundations and motivations of decision-making in transportation;
  • learn about types of simulation models that support transportation decision-making;
  • understand the data requirements and life cycle for various decision-making models;
  • analyse and predict the behaviour of human stakeholders in transport systems;
  • implement and evaluate simulation models for complex transport scenarios and decision-making;
  • evaluate and validate simulation models for transportation.

Assessment

The aggregate mark for this course is compiled as follows:

Work Weighting
Minor assignment based on preparatory reading 15%
Group contact week assignment 10% 
Course test 25%
Major post-contact phase assignment 50% 
Total 100%

Students who do not obtain an aggregate mark of at least 50% for their preparatory assignment, course test and post-contact phase assignment will be deemed to have failed the course.

 

Research project 1: Transport planning and engineering methods (CIV5135W)

Course convenor: Prof. Mark Zuidgeest (CfTS, Department of Civil Engineering)

Course objectives

The course aims to develop research skills, with a particular focus of developing professional practice in the transport studies field. The objective of the research project is to provide students with an opportunity to develop and enhance skills in a selected area of professional transport planning and engineering practice. The research involves undertaking a critical investigation of the origins, rationale, and debates surrounding a selected transport planning or engineering method applied in professional practice, mastering the necessary activities associated with applying the practice, and reflecting upon how it might be improved.

Course structure and submissions

Students are not required to be present on the university campus while undertaking this course. Contact with the course convenor can be maintained through email and skype. Weighted at 25 credits, the course will require in the region of 250 hours of research time to complete.

The course runs over a single semester, and is comprised of the following phases and associated submissions:

Phase 1: Topic selection and research proposal

Submission: Research proposal (maximum 2,500 words)

This phase involves:

  • identifying an element of professional data collection, design, analysis, modelling and estimation, (impact) assessment, operations and control, regulation or design practice in the field of transport planning and engineering for study (e.g. an infrastructure design code, traffic control design, Level-Of-Service analysis, trip generation rates, parking standards, trip diary instruments, traffic assignment models, cost-benefit analysis, routing algorithm, network optimization algorithm, walkability index, calibration technique,  a geometric design standard, modelling method etc.) – students are responsible for identifying a planning or engineering method or technique for investigation, but are welcome to discuss their ideas with the staff within the Centre for Transport Studies; and
  • preparing a research proposal that motivates why the method is of interest and relevance to the context within which he or she practices, articulates a set of key research questions, explains the research method (and if applicable data collection method) that will be followed, and organises the required research activities into a programme of work.

Phase 2: Research ethics clearance

Submission: Assessment of ethics in research projects (submitted to department representative on the Faculty Ethics in Research Committee)

This phase involves:

  • preparing a research ethics application; and
  • acquiring clearance to proceed with the planned research.

Phase 3: Literature search and information collation

Submission: None

This phase involves:

  • searching library data bases and internet search engines to find information on the selected method, and relevant codes of practice and guidance manuals in particular;
  • where applicable, identifying and contacting key individuals and organisations to collect required information on the method that is not available in the literature; and
  • where applicable, assembling the data required to apply the selected method.

Phase 4: Draft research report (and abstract)

Submission: Draft research report (maximum 8,000 words excluding references appendices and tables) and abstract (maximum 350 words)

This phase involves:

  • studying the codes of practice and other information found in the previous phase;
  • applying the selected transport planning or engineering method or technique;
  • writing a draft research report which presents the findings of, and reflection on, the method application; and
  • writing a draft abstract aimed at a professional audience.

Phase 5: Final research report and abstract

Submission: Final research report (maximum 8,000 words excluding references appendices and tables) and abstract (maximum 350 words)

This phase involves:

  • revising the method application on the basis of the feedback received;
  • finalising the research report; and
  • finalising the abstract aimed at a professional audience.

Learning outcomes

Students who have completed the course successfully should:

  • be able to design and execute a small research project (including an appreciation of research ethics) (e.g. a meta-analysis, a systematic review of standards and practices or calibration of a model);
  • be able to demonstrate competency in a selected element of professional data collection, analysis, modelling and estimation, (impact) assessment, operations and control, regulation or design practice in the field of transport planning and engineering (e.g. an infrastructure design code, traffic control design, level-of-service analysis, trip generation rates, parking standards, trip diary instruments, traffic assignment models, cost-benefit analysis, etc.);
  • demonstrate a critical understanding of the origins, objectives, current applications and shortcomings of a selected professional practice; and
  • be able to identify lessons and implications for improvements for a selected professional practice.

Assessment
The research project will be subjected to both internal and external examination.

First drafts of the research project reports will be assessed by the course convenor for the purposes of feedback, but no marks will be awarded.

The aggregate mark for this course is compiled as follows:

Work Weighting
Research proposal 10%
Final research project report and abstract 90%
Total 100%

Students who do not obtain an aggregate mark of at least 50% will be deemed to have failed the course. 

Research project 2: Transport policy and planning case study (CIV5073W)

Course convenor: Prof. Roger Behrens (CfTS, Department of Civil Engineering)

Course objectives

The course aims to develop research skills, with a particular focus of developing professional practice in the transport studies field. The objective of the research project is to provide students with an opportunity to undertake a case study in which they are able to develop or deepen critical analytical skills in transport policy and planning processes. The research involves undertaking a critical investigation of the requirement for, the process of preparing and implementing, the content and the impacts of a selected transport policy, plan, strategy or project.

Course structure and submissions

Students are not required to be present on the university campus while undertaking this course. Contact with the course convenor can be maintained through email and Skype. Weighted at 25 credits, the course will require in the region of 250 hours of research time to complete.

The course runs over a single semester (either the first or the second semester), and is comprised of the following phases and associated submissions:

Phase 1: Topic selection and research proposal

Submission: Research proposal (maximum 2,500 words)

This phase involves:

  • understanding case study method;
  • identifying an interesting transport policy, plan, strategy or project for study (e.g. an integrated transport plan, a public transport strategy, a transit-oriented development programme, pricing scheme, a travel demand management strategy, etc.) – students are responsible for identifying suitable cases, but are welcome to discuss their ideas with the staff within the Centre for Transport Studies; and
  • preparing a research proposal that motivates why the case is of interest to the student’s base context (i.e. the context for which lessons from the case are to be derived), articulates a set of key research questions, explains the research method that will be followed, and organises the required research activities into a programme of work.

Phase 2: Research ethics clearance

Submission: Assessment of ethics in research projects (submitted to department representative on the Faculty Ethics in Research Committee)

This phase involves:

  • preparing a research ethics application; and
  • acquiring clearance to proceed with the planned research.

Phase 3: Literature search and primary case data collection

Submission: None

This phase involves:

  • searching library data bases and internet search engines to find information on the selected case; and
  • identifying and contacting key individuals and organisations to collect information on the case that is not available in the literature.

Phase 4: Draft research report and abstract

Submission: Draft research report (maximum 8,000 words excluding references appendices and tables) and abstract (maximum 350 words)

This phase involves:

  • analysing the information and secondary data collected in the earlier phase;
  • writing a draft research report which presents the findings of the case study analysis; and
  • writing a draft abstract aimed at a professional audience.

Phase 5: Final research report (and abstract)

Submission: Final research report (max. 8,000 words excl. references appendices and tables) and abstract (max. 350 words)

This phase involves:

  • revising the case study on the basis of the feedback received;
  • finalising the research report; and
  • finalising the abstract aimed at a professional audience.

Phase 6: Infographic for decision-makers

Submission: Infographic (max. 350 words)

This phase involves:

  • synthesising the key lessons emerging from the case study for the base context; and
  • presenting these lessons in an infographic, e.g. electronic poster or website, aimed at a political decision-maker audience

Learning outcomes

Students who have completed the course successfully should:

  • be able to design and execute a case study research method (including an appreciation of research ethics);
  • be able to undertake a critical review and analysis of the process of preparing and implementing, the content and the impacts of a selected transport policy, plan, strategy or project (e.g. an integrated transport plan, a public transport strategy, a transit-oriented development programme, pricing scheme, a travel demand management strategy, etc.);
  • be able to draw well-substantiated findings and conclusions; and
  • be able to identify lessons and implications for improvements in the formulation of policies, plans or strategies.

Assessment

The research project will be subjected to both internal and external examination.

First drafts of the research project reports will be assessed by the course convenor for the purposes of feedback, but no marks will be awarded.

The aggregate mark for this course is compiled as follows:

Work Weighting
Research proposal 10%
Final research project report (and abstract) 80%
Infographic for decision-makers 10%
Total 100%

Students who do not obtain an aggregate mark of at least 50% will be deemed to have failed the course.