Research Theme
Transport & Mobility
Transport & Mobility
Moving Cities Fairly and Sustainably
The Transport and Mobility theme makes use of a wide range of data sources and methods to understand how people move through cities and how transport systems shape everyday urban life. Transport is deeply interconnected with housing, health, the environment and the economy, making it a critical element in discussions of how to improve cities. By combining new forms of “smart” data, such as traffic sensors, smart cards, administrative or operational data, and smartphone apps with traditional data sources, our research provides a richer, more rigorous picture of travel behaviour, accessibility and mobility patterns across cities.
UBDC researchers develop and apply advanced methods, including simulation, statistical modelling, AI and machine learning, to address major urban challenges, from congestion and emissions to social and spatial inequalities in access to jobs and services. Our work generates actionable evidence for planners, policymakers and industry, supporting more sustainable, efficient and equitable transport systems. Explore our transport and mobility projects and publications to see how UBDC research is helping cities move towards cleaner, fairer and more connected futures.
Researchers
%201.svg){kind=icon}
Projects
Explore some of our recent research projects
Changing travel behaviour
Understanding current travel behaviour is only part of a transport planner’s job as achieving targets relating to decarbonisation, air quality and physical activity will inevitably require substantial changes in how we travel.
%201.svg){kind=icon}
Methodological challenges of digital footprint data for mobility analysis
Digital footprint data offers a variety of new and exciting opportunities for transport planners. However, with these new opportunities come new challenges. This work packages uses a variety of different forms of digital footprint data and works to understand where the data can make a valuable contribution.
Accessing people, places and activities
The climate emergency has given fresh impetus for cities to rethink their transport systems. In many cases, the excessive use of private cars is a challenge which must be addressed.
Active travel: Data and Behaviour
The benefits of active travel for improving public health and environmental sustainability have been well established, and many countries are making substantial investments to encourage active modes.
news
Latest News from the Centre
UBDC attends the 3rd Digital Footprints Conference in Leeds
This year focused on Digital Footprints for the Public Good exploring the exciting potential of novel data sources to drive impactful research.
Glasgow’s new hi-res traffic dataset sheds light on city traffic patterns
UBDC researchers have cleaned and processed raw traffic flow data from Glasgow City Council's open API portal to create a new analysis-ready dataset.
UBDC team wins a top award at the ACM SIGSPATIAL conference
Researchers examined the 'Optimal Minimum Deployment of Electric Vehicle Charging Station Networks'.
Publications
Recent publications
Transportation and process modelling-assisted techno-economic assessment of resource recovery from non-recycled municipal plastic waste.
Did the implementation of the low emission zone in Glasgow change the traffic flow and air quality?
Understanding urban traffic flows in response to COVID-19 pandemic with emerging urban big data in Glasgow.
Meet our team and join the UBDC Community
At UBDC, you’ll join an international community of researchers, data scientists, social scientists and innovators using data and AI to understand and improve urban life. Our team brings together diverse expertise and perspectives to tackle the complex challenges facing cities worldwide.
Visit our people pages to meet the researchers, technical specialists and partners who make UBDC a leading centre for urban analytics and AI. Be part of our vibrant community by following our updates, sharing insights and engaging in conversations about data innovations and AI in urban policy.
Jointly funded by
%20copy.avif){kind=logo}
.avif){kind=logo}
