Monitoring and Modelling
Nestrans regularly monitors travel patterns to understand long-term trends across the region and their impacts on the Regional Transport Strategy.
Nestrans manage and maintain the Aberdeen Sub Area Model (ASAM), which is a multi-modal strategic model that is used to appraise and inform regional policies and projects. It also provides strategic forecast data for the North East. Access to ASAM information can be requested from the Transport Scotland Latis website as detailed below.
Monitoring & Evaluating the Regional Transport Strategy
Monitoring
The Nestrans Monitoring Report shows progress against the objectives of the Regional Transport Strategy
Nestrans has identified different targets across the six priorities of the RTS. Using these, Nestrans can measure the effectiveness of policies and interventions against the intended aims.
For each indicator, a baseline and targets have been set where appropriate, including interim targets for 2030 if applicable.
| High Level Priority | Indicator |
|---|---|
| Connectivity | Rail Journey Times |
| HGV Journey Times | |
| Bus Network - Punctuality & Reliability | |
| Road Casualty Reduction | Fatalities in Road Traffic Collisions |
| Severities of Injuries | |
| Pedestrians Killed or Seriously Injured | |
| Cyclists Killed or Seriously Injured | |
| Reducing Harmful Emissions | Nitrogen Dioxide Concentration |
| Moving Towards Net Zero | Surface Transport Carbon Emissions |
| Accessibility | Transport Accessibility |
| Bus Passenger Satisfaction | |
| Modal Shift | Car Use & Traffic Reduction |
| Park & Ride Utilisation | |
You can view the baseline monitoring report for Nestrans 2040, which was approved by the Nestrans Board in February 2022.
View the most recent monitoring report here - Nestrans Monitoring Report - June 2026
Evaluation
On a three yearly basis, Nestrans will also produce a more detailed report drawing together data from additional source as a two-tiered approach to monitoring and evaluation. You can read the first Evaluation Report from 2024 here.
Understanding travel patterns and behaviours
Comprehensive Travel Study - 2023
During the development of the Regional Transport Strategy, a series of impact assessments were conducted, including Strategic Environmental Assessment, Health Inequalities Impact Assessment, and Equalities Impact Assessment. However, these assessments highlighted a gap in our data, particularly around protected characteristics under the Equalities Act (2010), and a lack of understanding of how people in Aberdeen travel due to limited or small sample size data.
Following on from our behaviour and attitude surveys carried out during the Covid pandemic (see below), in 2022, Nestrans applied for £50,000 match-funding from the Paths for All Smarter Choices, Smarter Places Open Fund to conduct a Comprehensive Travel Study. This study aims to provide insights into post-pandemic travel patterns and attitudes in the North East and to support monitoring for the Regional Transport Strategy.
Alongside the full report, a series of infographics were produced, summarising the findings.
North East Transport Behaviour and Attitude Surveys - 2020/21
As part of the response to the Covid-19 pandemic Nestrans commissioned consultants Systra, to carry out a series of 10 travel surveys (every four weeks) to try and gauge how people in the North East of Scotland are traveling and how they expect to travel in the future, as well as finding out their current issues and concerns. These surveys are available below and will help us to inform and plan for travel and transport in the area, in the short to medium term during the Covid-19 restrictions and as we move forward out of them. Nestrans have secured grant funding from Paths for All, Smarter Choices, Smarter Places Open Fund, to help pay for these surveys.
1st Survey
Report 1: Executive Summary
Report 1: Full Report
Report 1: Technical Appendix
2nd Survey
Report 2: Executive Summary
Report 2: Full Report
Report 2 Technical Appendix
3rd Survey
Report 3: Executive Summary
Report 3: Final Report
Report 3: Technical Appendix
4th Survey
Report 4: Executive Summary
Report 4: Final Report
Report 4: Technical Appendix
5th Survey
Report 5: Executive Summary
Report 5: Final Report
Report 5: Technical Appendix
6th Survey
Report 6: Executive Summary
Report 6: Final Report
Report 6: Technical Appendix
7th Survey
Report 7: Executive Summary
Report 7: Final Report
Report 7: Technical Appendix
8th Survey
Report 8: Executive Summary
Report 8: Final Report
Report 8: Technical Appendix
9th Survey
Report 9: Executive Summary
Report 9: Final Report
Report 9: Technical Appendix
10th Survey
Report 10: Executive Summary
Report 10: Final Report
Report 10: Technical Appendix
Final Report
Final Report for first 10 surveys
11th Survey
Report 11: Executive Summary
Report 11: Final Report
Report 11: Technical Appendix
12th Survey
Report 12: Executive Summary
Report 12: Final Report
Report 12: Technical Appendix
13th Survey
Report 13: Executive Summary
Report 13: Final Report
Report 13: Technical Appendix
14th Survey
Report 14: Executive Summary
Report 14: Final Report
Report 14: Technical Appendix
15th Survey
Report 15: Executive Summary
Report 15: Final Report
Report 15: Technical Appendix
16th Survey
Report 16: Technical Appendix
Report 16: Final Report
Report 16: Executive Summary
Final Report 2
Final Report All Waves
Aberdeen Sub Area Model (ASAM)
The Aberdeen Sub Area Model (ASAM) is a multi-modal transport model and covers the main road and public transport network of Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire. It was developed by Nestrans in partnership with Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Councils, the Strategic Development Planning Authority and Transport Scotland.
The current version, ASAM19, has a base year of 2019 that was developed to reflect observed travel patterns following the opening of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route. The Model Development Report and Model Audit report can be viewed here.
Transport Scotland manage requests for access to information from their national model (Transport Model for Scotland) and various regional models, including ASAM, from their Land-use And Transport Integration in Scotland LATIS website. Access to transport and travel data collected to support the creation of the models can also be requested.
Should you wish to access information from ASAM or any of the LATIS then please complete a LATIS Request Form and submit it to latis@transport.gov.scot
Successful applicants will be required to agree to the LATIS Terms of Use