Modelling World 2026
17-18 June 2026, The Met Hotel, Leeds
Why attend Modelling World?
Are our data, tools and process up to the task? Questions and topics that we will address at Modelling World 2026 include:
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Reflecting the complexities of transport systems. Examples of modelling approaches that focus on integrating modes, transport and spatial planning, and different spatial levels of decision-making
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Enhancing existing model approaches to respond to the new challenges – examples of non-traditional modelling techniques that put people front and centre, and enable the benefits of integration to be evidenced
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Are current data sources and survey techniques up to the task? Modelling World will offer the opportunity to showcase emerging data sources and innovative ways of understanding people’s travel behaviour
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How is artificial intelligence making a difference? Examples and applications of artificial intelligence that make modelling better or faster
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Responding to the Green Book Review – do models need to be simpler and faster, or more comprehensive?
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Are developments in open data and open source models delivering the advances we expected?
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Activity-based models – have they matured enough for mainstream usage?
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Allowing for dynamics – both within days, between days and in the long term
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Improving behavioural representation over and above utility maximisation
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Connected and autonomous vehicles – what can we learn for use in modelling the current vehicle fleet and operations
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The post-COVID world – do models really need to change?
17 June 2026 programme
14:00
Foyer
Registration opens: Networking and refreshments served
14:30
Met Suite
Welcome to Modelling World in Leeds
Opening remarks from Tom van Vuren, Chairman, Modelling World
Opening plenary: Analytical transport planning – learning from the past
Advancing Norway’s Transport Modelling Framework: Integrated scenario
analysis, backcasting and economic modelling for a low emission 2050
Oskar Andreas Kleven, Senior Chief Engineer, Norwegian Public Road Agency
Learning from 25 years of TfL's travel demand forecasting
Emily Gay, Principal Modeller, Transport for London
Consternation concerning Counterfactuals
Stephen Cragg, Head of Appraisal and Model Development, Transport Scotland
16:00
Refreshment Zone
Networking break: Refreshments served
16:30
Met Suite
Lightning talks
A series of short talks showcasing innovation in modelling and analysis
Know what you don't know: building better network data with AI
Hugo Nilsson, Transport Modeller and Co-founder, Simactis, and PhD student at University of Western Australia
Agentic AI - a step forward for transport modelling?
Nathan Watt, Director of Transport, TransHumanity
Mobile network data for ABM – the art of the possible
Philippe Perret, Mobility Insights Technical Manager, BT Active Intelligence
18:00
Refreshment Zone
Networking break: Refreshments served
20:00
Day 1 close
18 June 2026 programme
Please note that the programme is currently under development and will be published soon.
08:30
Foyer
Registration opens: Morning networking and refreshments served in Met 1
09:30
Met Suite
Morning plenary: Back to the future – persistent problems
Chair: Tom van Vuren, Chairman, Modelling World
Speakers include:
Phil Goodwin, Emeritus Professor of Transport Policy at University College London and University of the West of England
Robin Cambery, Chief Transport Modeller and Deputy Director, Transport Appraisal and Strategic Modelling , Department for Transport
Charisma Choudhury, Chair in Behaviour Modelling and UKRI Future Leader Fellow, Institute for Transport Studies & School of Civil Engineering, University of Leeds
10.45
Met 1
Morning break: Refreshments served in the exhibition area
11.15
Met Suite
ABMs
Equity, Sustainability and Costs: Stress-Testing Zero-Fare Transit with an Open-Source Activity-Based Model for the Milan Metropolitan Area
Davide Floridi, Data Intelligence Lead, GO-Mobility
Conversion of Brighton & Hove Strategic Transport Model into Agent-Based form
Pawel Kucharski, Strategic Modelling and Data capability lead, Jacobs
Agent-Based Modelling: A Human-Centred Revolution for Appraisal
Matt Chilvers, Associate Director, Transport Modelling and Analytics Lead, Arup & Martin Paretti, Analytical Lead, Transport East
From aggregate models to activity-based modelling in the Dutch public sector
Jan Kiel, Senior Project Manager, Panteia
Syndicate Room 1
Innovation session 1
Using CHARM to code variable speed limits on the strategic road network
Helen Bowkett, Senior Technical Director, Arcadis
The Automated Pipeline: A Faster Route to Traffic Insights
Alkis Papadoulis, Senior Solutions Engineer, Immense
Accelerating Mesoscopic Simulation for Large-Scale Applications with a Multiresolution Approach
Michael Mahut, Senior Director, Mobility Simulation. Bentley Systems
FlowIQ: Turning Existing Footage into Insights with AI-driven Software
Graham Hambley, Head of Analysis, Tracsis and Phil Baldacchino-Steward, Commercial Director, Tracsis
Syndicate Room 2
Emerging modes
Forecasting CAVs in London's uncertain future
Emily Gay, Principal Modeller, Transport for London, Scott Gasson, Principal Transport Modeller, Jacobs and Sandhya Gorinta, Principal Transport Modeller, Transport for London
Integrating Operational DRT and Autonomous Mobility into Strategic Models: A Hybrid Framework with Transferable Application
Chris Papaioannou, Senior Consultant – Transport Modelling & Analytics, PTV
Modelling Cargo Bikes in London's Road Network
Birendra Shrestha, Principal Transport Modeller, Transport for London and Evangelos Kotsialos, Senior Transport Modeller, Transport for London
Syndicate Room 3
Travel behaviour
Modelling Mobility Transitions: What can segmentation methods really tell us?
Jillian Anable, Professor of Transport and Energy, Institute for Transport Studies, University of Leeds
Travel Market Synthesiser (TMS) for TfSE
Fidias Ieridis, Principal Consultant,
Steer and Joshua Jiao, Analysis Manager, Transport for the South East (TfSE)
From Recall to Reality: Evolving Travel Behaviour Data for Integrated Transport Systems
Andreas Zachariah, CEO and Founder, Travel AI
13.00
Met 1
Networking lunch: Lunch served in the exhibition area
14.00
Met Suite
ABMs
Beneath the hype - actual advantages of ML - an Activity Schedule modelling case study
Fred Shone, researcher, University College London
Applying an A2BM to Economic Appraisal
Samantha Price, Associate Transport Modeller, Arup
Using an Activity‑Based Model to Quantify Air Pollution Exposure in London
Daphne Badounas, Analyst, Transport for London
Syndicate Room 1
Innovation session 2
Reproducible, Reliable, Rapid: Orchestrating a Modern Strategic Transport Model with Apache Airflow and Visum
Edward Whittaker, Consultant, City Science
Mitigating Optimism Bias in Strategic Traffic Models: Empirical Recalibration of Saturation Flows
Stuart Dalgleish, Regional Director, AECOM
Enhancing the Consistency of Production–Attraction to Origin–Destination Demand Transformation in Variable Demand Models
Wei Wang, Technical Director, Transport Analytics and Innovation Lead, WSP
Syndicate Room 2
AI and Quantum computing
Can large language models assist choice modelling? Insights into prompting strategies and current models capabilities
Georges Sfeir, Research Fellow, University of Leeds
What If Transport Models Could Talk? Natural-Language Control of Visum Workflows
Davide Floridi, Data Intelligence Lead, GO-Mobility
Quantum Computing in Transportation Planning and Operations: Lessons from Industry Engagement and TRB Dialogues
Shaleen Srivastava, CEO, Goleyo
Syndicate Room 3
Spotlight on the North
A New Strategic Transport Model for South Yorkshire
George Bate, Lead Transport Modeller and Analyst, South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority
Sheffield and Rotherham Clean Air Plan – 'What Next' Modelling
Chris Robinson, Associate Director, SYSTRA
Supply Framework: multi-modal networks
Christopher Storey, Service Manager, Transport for the North
15:15
Met 1
Afternoon break: Refreshments served in the exhibition area
15.45
Met Suite
Closing plenary panel: Brave new world – tackling future challenges
After 20 years of Modelling World - what's next?
Panellists to be announced...
16.45
Modelling World Lifetime Achievement Award 2026
Speakers
Tom Van Vuren MBE
Stragic Business Partner, Amey and Chair, Modelling World
Oskar Andreas Kleven
Senior Chief Engineer, Norwegian Public Road Agency
Stephen Cragg
Head of Appraisal and Model Development, Transport Scotland
Robin Cambery
Chief Transport Modeller and Deputy Director, Transport Appraisal and Strategic Modelling , Department for Transport
Davide Floridi
Data Intelligence Lead, GO-Mobility
Matt Chilvers
Associate Director, Transport Modelling and Analytics Lead, Arup
Jillian Anable
Professor of Transport and Energy, Institute for Transport Studies, University of Leeds
Andreas Zachariah
CEO and Founder, Travel AI
Birendra Shrestha
Principal Transport Modeller, Transport for London
Stuart Dalgleish
Regional Director, AECOM
Fred Shone
Researcher, University College London
Chris Robinson
Associate Director, SYSTRA UK & Ireland
Scott Gasson
Principal Transport Modeller, Jacobs
Graham Hambley
Head of Analysis, Tracsis
Hugo Nilsson
Co-founder, Simactis and PhD student, University of Western Australia
Evangelos Kotsialos
Senior Transport Modeller, Transport for London
Tom Van Vuren MBE
Stragic Business Partner, Amey and Chair, Modelling World
Emily Gay
Principal Modeller, Transport for London
Phil Goodwin
Emeritus Professor of Transport Policy at University College London and University of the West of England
Charisma Choudhury
Chair in Behaviour Modelling and UKRI Future Leader Fellow, Institute for Transport Studies, University of Leeds
Pawel Kucharski
Strategic Modelling and Data capability lead, Jacobs
Helen Bowkett
Senior Technical Director, Arcadis
Michael Mahut
Senior Director, Mobility Simulation.
Bentley Systems
Chris Papaioannou
Senior Consultant – Transport Modelling & Analytics, PTV Group
Fidias Ieridis
Principal Consultant,
Steer
Shaleen Srivastava
CEO, Goleyo
George Bate
Lead Transport Modeller and Analyst, South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority
Edward Whittaker
Consultant, City Science
Sandhya Gorinta
Principal Transport Modeller, Transport for London
Phil Baldacchino-Steward
Commercial Director, Tracsis
Nathan Watt
Nathan Watt, Director of Transport, TransHumanity
Philippe Perret
Mobility Insights Technical Manager, BT Active Intelligence