A COMPUTER model that predicts Gloucestershire's future traffic needs – and the effect planning applications will have – is to be updated.

The complex model, known as Saturn, simulates the transport network on a typical weekday and allows the Gloucestershire County council to test future plans and different transport schemes to ensure the network runs as efficiently as possible.

It also helps to anticipate the impact any planning applications may have on local traffic which can influence whether permission is granted or not.

Having an up-to-date model is also a requirement when the local authority bids for government funding to support major infrastructure.

In recent years £21.3 million has successfully been secured for the Elmbridge Transport Scheme, various transport schemes in Cheltenham and Gloucester and the CandG and Walls roundabouts improvements.

To update the Saturn model and to ensure that we can carry on using it, routine traffic surveys are being carried out in the county during autumn 2013 and spring 2014.

Different methods are being used, including road sensors to measure the volume of cars and roadside interviews to understand the nature of people’s journeys.

No personal data is needed to update the model and it will not need refreshing again for another five years.

Cllr Will Windsor-Clive, cabinet member for fire, planning and infrastructure, said Saturn was important to ensure they could simulate how traffic will flow on the road network when changes were planned.

“Having up to date information will also help us to carry on bidding for government money to improve roads in the county, as we did successfully in the case of the C&G and Walls Roundabouts Improvement Scheme which is going ahead next year.”

The model will be updated as information is collected, and will be ready for use from April 2015.