Under contract to the Dutch Directorate-General of Passenger Transport (DGP) and the Dutch Department of Public Works, a study was undertaken to compare person and freight traffic forecasts for selected European countries: the Netherlands, Germany, France, Great Britain, Belgium, Sweden, and Austria; and for the following institutions: European Union (EU), European Council of Ministers of Transport (ECMT), International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (OICA), and IEA. The emphasis has been given to strategic traffic and transport forecasting systems which are used for policy evaluation at the national level. Desktop research has been carried out using available relevant documents from various sources. The general conclusion, based on the available information, is that: (1) there is no standardisation in definitions, data bases, planning horizons, forecasting procedures, policies, etcetera; and (2) that many of the models are often not suitable for the appraisal of future transport developments at the national/regional level. Practical and methodological recommendations for further development are proposed. (A)
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