1. Putting the NHTS data to work locally NHT Network autumn conference, 10 October 2011 Ben Marshall

2. 1.WHY putting the data to work is more important than ever 2. HOW to put the data to work: a local case study

3. NHTS 2008-11 Best Value: the 4 Cs Local Transport Plans PFI Budget cuts Performance management Service users & consumers Accessibility Efficiency Localism LEAN Outcome-based assessments “More for less” Priority-setting Benchmarking General election 2010

4. Period of change but 2 constants 1. Public opinion survey research has made/can make a contribution to strategies to shape services, identify efficiencies and target resources

5. ‘Democracy pays’ in transport too “Transforming service delivery is vital to meeting the challenge of more for less…success [is] about finding the best solutions for each local service. A common factor in the solutions we have found is that they have involved the workforce and service users as well as councillors and officers in developing sensible, long-term solutions.” Source: Phil Brennan ‘Reshaping the future’ in Surveyor 24 Sept 2010 (special advisor at APSE – Association for Public Service Excellence)

6. Specifically, your NHT data provides:  Reality-check supplement to councillor postbag  Robust picture of perceptions  Means of understanding performance/potential  Time-series showing impact of changes to spend/services  Means of managing performance: staff, contractors…  Chance to identify efficiencies (over-delivery?)  Cost-efficient methodology

7. The other constant?

8. Road condition is public’s clear priority

9. Humber Stands-out again: 2:1 criticism Condition of roads Community Transport Cycle routes & facilities Bus services Local taxi/mini-cab Overall Q2Thinking about roads and transport locally, how satisfied or dissatisfied are you with…? Base: 62,026 English adults, across 70 local authority areas, postal survey with average response rate of 17.62%, June-July 2011, data weighted to local population profile, %s based on all (incl. those not answering) DRT Rights of Way Street lighting Safety on roads Traffic pollution Pavements/footpaths Traffic levels/congestion % dissatisfied% satisfied

10.  Most significant downward trend: – dissatisfaction up since 2010  Most important service  Top priority: improvement  65% critical speed of repair  54% with quality of repair  46% with gritting/snow clearance Our summer survey found: Base: 62,026 adults 2011 as before, 81,614 adults, 2010 across 95 local authority areas

11. …no surprise

12. “We now expect more of government than we do of God” 52% agreed Against this backdrop, some evidence austerity narrative is dampening expectations Source: Ipsos MORIReuters Q. On balance, do you agree or disagree: “In the long term, this government’s policies will improve the state of Britain’s public services?” Base: 578 British adults 18+, January 2011

13. Britain is becoming ? “shabbier and angrier”

14. The ubiquity of the pothole

15. Zeitgeist & responses

16. Public don’t want de-investment where bad experience or sense current under-funding… Libraries Early Years Advisors Home-to-school transport Community Wardens Freedom Pass Streetlights Connexions Budget Workshop October 2010 Foster Carers Subsidised bus routes Highway Maintenance Social workers Waste Disposal De-investRing-fence

17. How to respond: improve programmes/contracts, communicate with impact “An additional £12m has been allocated to the highways budget to improve and maintain the quality of Surrey’s roads. As residents suggested, a new contractor has recently been appointed to manage the road network, delivering better results for a lower price.”

18. A role for NHTS data: Essex CC as example  Has informed focussed investment: - Additional funding to highway maintenance & winter gritting - Broad approach to tackle congestion; manage network, invest in pinch points, encourage sustainable alternatives  Outcomes: - Highway condition better than average and stable - Winners of National Transport Awards 2011- Cycling Improvements  Next: - New Highways and Transportation contract with performance linked to quality and customer satisfaction

19. Using NHTS data locally: a case study (excluding benchmarking & trend analysis)

20. First, a reminder: always appreciate limitations & applications  “Smoke but don’t always inhale”  Surveys are estimates of the truth - ‘margins of error’  These increase as sample sizes fall -be careful esp. with spatial/sub-group analysis  Consider bases -% based on all answering/all? -Filter on users?  Consider positives and negatives (& nets)

21. Humber Monitor performance and manage contractors Condition of roads Community Transport Cycle routes & facilities Bus services Local taxi/mini-cab Overall Q2Thinking about roads and transport locally, how satisfied or dissatisfied are you with…? DRT Rights of way Street lighting Safety on roads Traffic pollution Pavements/footpaths Traffic levels/congestion Base: 2,021 Essex adults, methodology as before, response rate of 16.84% % dissatisfied% satisfied

22. Less frequently/never Filter perception to gauge strength 1,315 (66%) are dissatisfied with the condition of roads. Underlining the strength of this: Use car daily Use car 2-3 times a week Use car weekly/monthly Base: 2,021 Essex adults, methodology as before, response rate of 16.84% % dissatisfied All residents

23. Identify ‘pull-aparts’ to unpick correlation Overall, 425 (21%) are satisfied with the condition of roads (Q2), 1,315 (66%) are dissatisfied. Key differences in % satisfied between these two groups on Q6 measures: Base: 2,021 Essex adults, methodology as before, response rate of 16.84%

24. Priority-setting: Q1/2 RoWN Condition of roads Street lighting Traffic & congestion Safe roads DRT Community transport Taxi Bus services Cycle Pavements Base: 2,021 Essex adults, methodology as before, response rate of 16.84% Traffic pollution Net satisfaction +/- (Q2) Net importance +/- (Q1)

25. Priority-setting: Q3/2 RoWN Condition of roads Street lighting Traffic & congestion Safe roads DRT Community transport Taxi Bus services Cycle Pavements Base: 2,021 Essex adults, methodology as before, response rate of 16.84% Traffic pollution Important personally % (Q3) Net satisfaction +/- (Q2)

26. Condition of roads Pavements and footpaths Levels of traffic pollution Street lighting Traffic levels and congestion Safety on roads Bus service Priority-setting: new Q4 Q4The Council has to decide what to focus on and how to use its budget to improve transport and highways in the local area. Which three of these do you think are most in need of improvement in your local area? Base: 2,021 Essex adults, methodology as before, response rate of 16.84% Cycle routes and facilities RoW network DRT Community transport Taxi/mini-cab services

27. 27 Street lighting (17,11) % important personally (Q3) % in need of improvement (Q4) Priority-setting: Q3/4 Safety on roads (45,31) Pavements and footpaths Local bus services Traffic & congestion levels (36,42) Condition of roads Cycle routes and facilities Levels of local traffic pollution Local taxi (or mini- cab) services RoWN DRT Community transport Base: 2,021 Essex adults, methodology as before, response rate of 16.84%

28. 28 Street lighting + net satisfaction (Q2) Priority-setting: Q4/2 Safety on roads Pavements and footpaths Bus services Traffic & congestion levels Condition of roads Cycle Traffic pollution Taxi/mini-cab Community transport DRT RoWN Base: 2,021 Essex adults, methodology as before, response rate of 16.84% % in need of improvement (Q4)

29. Summary

30. 1. Fight your corner/lobby: highways & transport are about people too! 2. Pinpoint then focus on what matters to customers 3. Monitor priorities (things change!) 4. Define success c.f. road safety 5. Don’t disinvest in comms 6. Exploit street presence 7. Secure political leadership 8. Behaviour change/nudge as solution? 9. Think the unthinkable? 10. Embrace new technology 11. Engage and involve consumers 12. Be localist… How should transport respond to the squeeze? A 12 point plan Source: Ben Marshall at TSUG conference, November 2010

31. Putting the NHTS data to work locally This can’t work if poorly- or under-utilised: - appreciate limitations - holistic/realistic analysis - disseminate effectively Marshalled well, consumer perceptions can be used to lobby, manage, shape response Analysis will raise Qs: are other insight solutions ben.marshall@ipsos.com