Paramics Discovery used to test Air Quality Action Plan in Crieff

The Challenge

Air quality is an important issue and several locations in the UK do not currently meet air quality targets. Based on proposals for an Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP), Perth and Kinross Council commissioned SYSTRA Ltd. to assess options to improve the air quality in Crieff.

SYSTRA’s Role

To undertake this assessment SYSTRA Ltd. upgraded the Crieff microsimulation traffic model, originally developed in 2012 using S-Paramics, to the latest version of the software - Paramics Discovery.

Located on a hillside, Crieff includes several roads with steep gradients. Consequently, the road network description in Paramics Discovery includes node heights so that the gradients are correctly represented, thereby influencing vehicle behaviour in terms of acceleration, deceleration and braking.

The Paramics Discovery model was used to focus on options to improve air quality along Crieff High Street, which forms part of the A85 trunk road from Perth to Lochearnhead. The options included; removing on-street parking (both legal and illegal) and the introduction of traffic signals at key junctions.

The model will also be used to test the proposed Local Development Plan allocations in the area.