TRICS® 2007(a) Download soon available
The forthcoming update of TRICS®, version 2007(a), will be released on 20th December 2006. The new version contains many system improvements and a significant amount of new survey data across a variety of land uses and regions. This will be made available shortly as a web download for the first time.

Here are a few of the system enhancements users will notice in 2007(a):

• Trip rates displayed to 3 decimal places (increased from 2)
• Trip rate calculation parameter values now shown on Rank Order screens
• Arrival and Departure rank order trip rates now displayed on a single screen
• Greater London and Ireland sites now split into sub-areas
• New land use sub-category 07/U (Play Centre)

All member organisations will be sent usernames and passwords to access this download, with contact being made by letter and email. The members area of the download facility will contain user contact details as currently held by the TRICS® administrator. Members will be encouraged to check these details for accuracy and amend as appropriate.

Web system development underway
Development is currently in progress to upgrade TRICS® into a fully web-based system. From next Summer, member organisations will be able to log on and operate all of the functions of TRICS® on the internet. Major enhancements to the system will include the introduction of secure on-line membership fee payments.

The first full web version is due to be launched in June 2007 and the intention is to phase out the Windows version ready for the subsequent release. Further details of the new system will be included in the next edition of this newsletter.

Annual TRICS® Conference well attended
The annual conference was well attended with record breaking numbers for the 4th successive year. For details of the papers on the new TA guidance, travel plans, air quality considerations for LDF submissions, health impact assessments and much, much more please visit the website. You can even listen to a recording of the stimulating debates!

Thanks to the two thirds of delegates who completed a feedback questionnaire. 93% rated the quality of presentations as very good/good and overall the conference was given an impressive 9/10.

Preliminary arrangements are already being made for the 2007 conference, with a venue in London and dates to be confirmed. Attendees may be interested to hear that we are planning to introduce an on-line booking process for next year, as an addition to the enhanced TRICS® website at www.trics.org.

Ideas and suggestions for papers are welcomed. Anyone interested in presenting a paper at next year's conference should contact Colin Black at colin.black@jmp.co.uk.

Standard Assessment Method (SAM) for Travel Plans progresses
The free seminars on the Standard Assessment Method (SAM) for Travel Plans that were advertised in the last edition of the TRICS® newsletter took place recently in Wiltshire and York. The seminars were positively received and good feedback has been provided by attendees.

The next step in the rolling out of SAM is the development of further guidance for local authorities to explain how to introduce the standard. This will be accompanied by a technical note for local authorities on the survey specifications necessary to make data collected compatible with TRICS®. These will be available early in the New Year.

2007 TRICS® User Meetings to be held in London and Manchester
Next year there will be two TRICS® User Meetings, as we continue to move the annual event around the regions. The dates for these meetings are Monday 18th June at the Cabinet War Rooms & Churchill Museum in London, and Thursday 21st June at the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester.

Our User Meetings are popular interactive events, which consist of a number of TRICS®-related presentations and a software workshop session. They are ideal for providing user feedback and ideas and are suitable for all TRICS® members, from beginners to experienced users.

Further details will be provided in the next edition of this newsletter.

Data Collection Programme expands
A significant expansion of the TRICS® data collection programme is set to take place in 2007. Next year, a total of 250 transport surveys are being undertaken across all regions of the UK and Ireland, a 67% increase from the 2006 programme.

This data collection expansion will allow us to gain additional coverage for land use categories identified by users in the annual TRICS® User Questionnaire responses. TRICS® is committed to maintaining and improving its database, and our annual programme allows us to achieve greater coverage in all important areas, whilst at the same time introducing new land use categories whenever appropriate.

Technical Note on Servicing Vehicle Requirements issued
A Technical Note on Servicing Vehicle Requirements has recently been made available, and can now be downloaded from the TRICS® website at www.trics.org. The note will also be made available within the Library module of the forthcoming TRICS® release 2007(a).

The note provides a useful supplement to the usual first principles approach of establishing servicing needs and should be used alongside other existing guidance. It can also be used as a guide where developers and occupiers may have more detailed information on their own needs.

Free 1 month trial of TRICS® available
A free 1-month trial of the latest full version of the TRICS® software is available to all organisations upon request. Throughout the free trial period full technical support is available at no cost, and there is no obligation once the period has expired.

Many organisations have already found this trial useful, as there is no restriction on the number of PC's on which the software can be installed. Anyone interested in the free trial should contact Lorraine Kevany at lorraine.kevany@jmp.co.uk, or on 020 7618 4100.

TRICS® PhD candidate research paper available
Joint Economic and Social Research Council and TRICS® sponsored PhD candidate David Broadstock (d.broadstock@surrey.ac.uk) recently presented a paper to the Twelfth International Conference on Urban Transport and the Environment in the 21st Century in Prague. The paper (entitled 'Towards sustainable urban development: traffic generation at food superstores in the UK') represents an initial output emanating from the thesis which uses the TRICS® database as its primary data source. David's paper, co-authored with his supervisors, is available to view for free at http://library.witpress.com/