Web-based TRICS® December launch confirmed
TRICS® will be officially launched on the internet this December, coinciding with the release of version 2008(a) of the system.
The web-based version of TRICS® is the result of many months of system development. Its design is based on the current Windows system, so users will be familiar with its layout and procedures. Access to the new system will be through existing usernames and passwords. The current Windows software will continue to be supported until June 2008, when it will permanently move over to the web.
Advantages of the new system, which will be run on a high-speed server, include the fact that you will be able to access TRICS® from any computer using the internet, new data will be able to be uploaded on a more frequent basis, and you will able to purchase TRICS® products via a secure on-line server.
The new system will be comprehensively tested prior to its December 2007 release. Further updates will appear in this newsletter.

TRICS® Version 2007(b) available for download
The latest version of TRICS®, version 2007(b), is now available for download at www.trics.org. All member organisations have been notified of the update’s availability, and can download the software using their existing usernames and passwords.
The new version contains a number of system enhancements and new surveys, all of which are listed within the system’s Library module. System developments include enhancements to the rank order list procedure, the facility to calculate residential trip rates by number of bedrooms, and the introduction of 5 new land use sub-categories, amongst other enhancements.
A calibration test sheet is also available for download.

Record attendance at 2007 TRICS® User Meetings
A record number of over 160 attendees took part in the recent TRICS® User Meetings, held on 18th and 21st June. The popular interactive events were fully booked, and took place at the Cabinet War Rooms and Churchill Museum in London, and the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester.
Presentations were given on subjects such as system development, the 2007 TRICS® Good Practice Guide (see elsewhere in this newsletter), the TRICS® multi-modal survey methodology, and other TRICS®-related topics. Attendees were also given the opportunity to take part in an interactive TRICS® system workshop, which was very popular. Many ideas on the future of TRICS® were shared, with a number of valuable contributions to system enhancement taken into consideration for future development programmes.
Venues are being considered for next year’s event, which will again be held in two regional locations next June. Updates will be provided in this newsletter.

2007 TRICS® Good Practice Guide published
The 2007 TRICS® Good Practice Guide has now been published, and can be viewed within the Library module of version 2007(b) of the system. It will also shortly be available for downloading at www.trics.org.
The Good Practice Guide is a valuable resource for both those producing and auditing TRICS® data. It supersedes the 2006 version, and contains updated guidance on the use of TRICS® through its various procedures. It is a standard for good practice which is fully endorsed by the TRICS® Consortium, and is a document that is increasingly used at events such as Public Inquiries.
Organisations are encouraged to read the document, and clarification on any of its sections can be obtained through the TRICS® team at JMP Consultants Limited.

Standard Assessment Methodology for Travel Plans seminars to be held
A series of seminars in September on the Standard Assessment Methodology (SAM) for Travel Plans are currently being planned. This follows the success of similar events held last autumn.
SAM provides a straightforward means of assessing whether a development has met its travel plan requirements, utilising the TRICS® multi-modal survey methodology. In doing so, SAM focuses travel plans on delivering meaningful outputs (the targets), enabling all parties to be clear as to what is being asked of the travel plan, and importantly, what is being achieved. The seminars are designed to inform transport planners and development control officers of the role of SAM in development control related travel plans, in addition to providing an overview of the changes brought by the DfT's Guidance on Transport Assessment.
We are looking to hold four events in September in the South West, Midlands, North East and North West regions. If you would like to host an event in your region, please contact Richard Adams at richard.adams@jmp.co.uk or 0117 987 6214.

Book your places at the 2007 TRICS®/RTPI Conference on-line
The 2007 TRICS®/RTPI Conference will be taking place at the Regents Park Marriott Hotel in London, on Tuesday 20th and Wednesday 21st November. This year the conference theme is “New Directions in Transport Planning”, and will address contemporary transport issues and innovative solutions.
This year, delegates will be able to book their places on-line via a secure server at www.trics.org. This convenient booking process will help to speed up delegate confirmations, and will be available as soon as programme details are finalised. All organisations will be sent full details soon.

Sponsored pages on TRICS® website – promote your organisation
If your organisation is interested in marketing its activities within the TRICS® website, there will soon be the opportunity to obtain a “sponsored page” at www.trics.org. Within your page you can provide information on what your organisation can offer, and update the page free of charge, all for a modest fee.
The sponsored page will be in a fixed format. All you need to do is provide information by completing a form, and you can also supply your organisation’s logo. Use of the TRICS® website is due to expand rapidly once the full TRICS® system is operating on-line, so now is the ideal time to present your organisation to the TRICS® Community. For further information on marketing possibilities at www.trics.org, contact Ian Coles (TRICS® Manager).

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 the TRICS® team at JMP Consultants Limited.