Traffic, its impacts and public attitudes - Transport Policy and Planning in Great Britain - page 58

Table 3.3 Opinion ratings of bus and train-related issues, listed by priority for action (source: MORI

2001)

Priority
for action

Local bus issues Net

rating

Train issues (exc London
Underground)

Net
rating

1 Punctuality/reliability +5% Punctuality/reliability -2%

2 Frequency +5% Level of fares -40%

3 Level of fares +4% Overcrowding -22%

4 Number of places accessed +27% Personal security +7%

5 Personal security +16% Frequency +16%

6 Overcrowding +9% Cleanliness +12%

7 Cleanliness +32% Number of places accessed +41%

8 Attitude of drivers +33% Journey time +27%

9 Journey time +31% Attitude of staff at stations +23%

10 Attitude of staff on trains +35%

Note: Opinions of users only

(whether their daily travel involves much in the way of crossing trafficked roads or
not) whereas opinion about public transport is only derived from users. Hence the
many car drivers who never use buses and trains are omitted even though one can be
sure that a large proportion would have poor opinions of them.
Recently, in connection with the DfT's review of its strategic goals (24.8), the
Department has commissioned an 'On-line Citizens' Panel' of just over 600 people to
elicit opinion in a structured manner. Although the panel is not representative of the
population (of England and Wales) in a statistical sense it was established using quotas
set by region, age, gender and urban/rural.

Comfort and
cleanliness

Fast

Safe

Affordable/cheaper

Convenient and easily accessible

Reliable, regular and timely

Figure 3.13 Hierarchy of transport needs (source: GfK 2008)