Samenvatting
The application of a rigorous approach to problem identification in the West London assessment study using traffic delay to illustrate the methodology is described. In 1985 a review of urban roads appraisal methods for the Department of Transport was made. One of the recommendations of the review was the adoption of a rigorous approach to problem identification as a first step in the development of transport improvements. The paper draws attention to some of the practical difficulties in producing and interpreting the rankings and highlights the need for value judgement. Th paper concludes with a review of the applicability of the approach to the range of problems studied and its value in transport planning and strategy formulation.