29 July 2008

FEW BRITONS EXPECT ANY IMPROVEMENT IN GRIDLOCKED ROADS

Most people across Britain are gloomy about the prospects of freeing up the nation’s increasingly gridlocked roads, with few (14 per cent) expecting to see any real improvement in traffic congestion in their local area over the next five years.

But despite the fact that two thirds of people regard congestion as a major problem, the majority oppose congestion charging outside London according to a survey undertaken for CSS which represents local authority directors responsible for travel.

These research findings are the result of a survey of public perceptions of transport in Britain carried out for CSS, formerly known as the County Surveyor’s Society, by Ipsos MORI.

The survey found that the top five areas (from a list of eight) of Government transport investment that people would like to see are:

• Reducing the cost of public transport
• Road and pavement maintenance
• Improving road safety
• Improving bus services
• Building new roads in congestion ‘hot spots’

Traffic congestion continues to be widely experienced, with nearly all (91 per cent) recognising that congestion is a problem. More than two-thirds (68 per cent) see it as a ‘major problem’ - that’s one per cent higher than the previous survey in 2005.

But the introduction of congestion charging outside London is still opposed, with 52 per cent being against the idea (and 31 per cent strongly opposed), despite the idea of the revenue being             re-invested to fund transport improvements.  These findings endorse statements within the recent CSS Travel is Good report, which highlights that although no-one likes congestion, motorists are remarkably tolerant to being caught up within it rather than face any alternatives.

Congestion was a key factor in the survey in determining satisfaction with transport. Those experiencing congestion as a problem within five miles around where they live were much less likely to be satisfied with the road system than those who do not consider congestion as a problem.

Commenting on the survey, Mike Jackson, chair of the CSS Finance Committee, said: “Traffic congestion remains widely felt and more than half see it as worsening in their local area. Public priorities show little change: many people would like to see greater investment made in reducing the cost of public transport, road and pavement maintenance, improving road safety, improving bus services and tackling congestion. There remains wide opposition to the idea of introducing congestion charging in towns and cities outside the capital.

“The current concern and expectations of worsening congestion, combined with the lack of support for charging underlines the need for a fundamental reassessment of the direction of transport policy identified in the recently released CSS report, Travel is Good.  The report is available from www.cssnet.org.uk.

The picture painted by the survey, however, found that satisfaction with road maintenance remains at 46 per cent, the same as the last survey, which followed significant increases on previous annual surveys. And satisfaction with the local road system increased slightly to 52 per cent.

Mr Jackson said: “On a positive note, public satisfaction with the highway network has been maintained at the higher level compared to the position a few years beforehand. This is clearly a direct result of the continued good work carried out by the highways authorities throughout the UK.

“What is worrying is that the survey shows that the public don’t see this improvement continuing over the next five years and would like to see greater investment in a number of transport related areas. Government should heed this warning when considering funding priorities in the future.”

end

Media Contact

• If you have any general queries regarding this news please contact Mike Jackson, chair of CSS Finance Committee (01603 222500) or Barrie Hedges, Daybreak Communications office 0845 644 3845; mobile 07899 923756; barrie.hedges@daybreakcomm.co.uk
• If you have any queries on survey methodology or findings, please contact Matt Broughton or Ben Marshall at Ipsos MORI (020 7347 3000).

Notes to Editors                                                                                            

• CSS represents Local Authority Chief Officers who manage some of the most pressing issues facing the UK today. Membership is drawn from all four corners of the United Kingdom with members responsible for three-quarters of the road network, two thirds of the land area and just under half the population of England and Wales. Operating at the strategic tier of local government, they are closely involved in crucial transport, waste management, environment, planning, energy and economic development issues.                                                                                         
• This survey, conducted by Ipsos MORI is based on a nationally representative quota sample of 2,044 adults (aged 15+) interviewed throughout Great Britain across 191 sampling points. Interviews were carried out using CAPI (Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing – laptops) face to face in respondent’s homes between 18-23 October 2007. Data are weighted to reflect the national population profile. The previous survey was conducted in 2005.
• The people interviewed included both car users and non-car users. When questioned about the modes of transport they had used, 84 per cent had used cars, 47 per cent the bus, 28 per cent the train, and 13 per cent had cycled during the last month. The overall sample of 2044 adults included 268 cyclists.
• The survey provides a wealth of insights into public attitudes and perceptions. As well as highlighting attitudes across gender, age and social classes, the CSS survey provides a regional perspective with varying attitudes across Wales, Scotland and the English Regions.

Headline results emerging from the survey show:

Satisfaction with Roads and Road Maintenance

• Satisfaction with road maintenance remains the same as the last survey at 46 per cent which followed significant increases in earlier surveys
• Satisfaction with the road system has increased slightly to 52 per cent. A key factor determining satisfaction is congestion. Those experiencing congestion as a problem within 5 miles around where they live are much less likely to be satisfied with the road system than those who do not consider congestion as a problem

Trends in Transport

• When asked whether a number of different aspects of transport have improved within their local area in the last five years, several aspects were thought to have shown no noticeable improvement, including bus services (23 per cent), facilities for pedestrians and cyclists (19 per cent), road safety (15 per cent), road and pavement maintenance (12 per cent), train services (8 per cent) and the roads system (6 per cent) 
• Of these the greatest drop in perceptions of improvements is in facilities for pedestrians and cyclists – down four percentage points
• Road and pavement maintenance deterioration appears to be most prominent in Scotland with 34 per cent of respondents feeling this has worsened
• Significant regional differences were found in terms of traffic congestion.  In London, 40 per cent feel congestion has worsened while in East Midlands, this figure is as high as 66 per cent

 Expectations and Priorities

• As in previous years, optimism about future improvements is low. In the case of each aspect of transport, few expect to see a noticeable improvement in transport in their local area over the next four or five years
• Should extra Government investment be made available, reducing the cost of public transport is considered to be the highest priority followed by investment in road and pavement maintenance
• At a regional level, support for increased investment in public transport is highest in Eastern parts of the country

Traffic Congestion and Congestion Charging

• Traffic Congestion continues to be widely experienced with nearly all (91 per cent) recognising that congestion is a problem with two-thirds (68 per cent) seeing it as a ‘major problem’
• The introduction of congestion charging outside London is still opposed with 52 per cent opposing the idea (31 per cent strongly opposing).  These findings endorse statements within the CSS Travel is Good report, which highlights that although no-one likes congestion, motorists are remarkably tolerant to being caught up within it rather than face any alternatives.
• Regionally, congestion appears to be much more of a problem in the East Midlands (78 per cent) and South East (77 per cent) than in Wales (53 per cent) and Scotland (58 per cent)