This paper outlines a spatial approach to transport-oriented geographical information systems (TO-GIS), that avoids the inadequacies of conventional `linear' GIS. A very important feature of TO-GIS is their hierarchical property, which enables a common treatment of various forms of classification and subdivision into geographical localities and areas. For example, GIS needs to be able to handle conurbations, economic regions, industrial areas, and mineral deposits. Space-time hierarchies are also important, for example with climate and weather data. The general structure of TO-GIS consists of three basic strata: (1) a basic digital map, including altitude contours, waterways, coast lines, administrative borders, and human settlements; including altitude contours, waterways, coast lines, administrative borders, and human settlements; (2) detailed information about the routes and facilities of every transport mode; and (3) modules which contain information about the operation of transport in normal and extreme situations. For example, there are modules on natural, physical, and social environment, population, production, and services. TO-GIS can cover different key problems at different levels of spatial hierarchy; for example, at the agglomeration level, the problems of road traffic management and vehicle emission are crucial.
Abstract