Analysis of European land transport network, MEGAs and socio-economic setting through Territorial Frames model

The paper illustrates an innovative method, Territorial Frames (TFs) model based, to analyse in the European context the relation among the spatial distribution of the main urban and productive agglomerations (MEGA), the territorial socio-economic setting and the endowment and performance features of the land transport network. The proposed model allows the spatial context to be divided into a multi-scalar sum of TFs, conceived and designed as parts of the territory, with homogeneous spatial and socio-economic characteristics, delimited by multimodal transportation corridors. The assumptions for model construction is illustrated and the final European TFs (ETFs) spatial outline is proposed. In addition, through the introduction of appropriate indices, for each ETF several analyses of correlation between the socio-economic and transport network endowment/features aspects have been carried out. The results, illustrated and discussed both in numerical and spatial terms, show a close correlation between the above aspects.