Methodology - Travel Behaviour Fieldwork

The focus for the data collection is to understand the wider impact of the Pilot on the transport network alongside existing rail customers.

The Transport Scotland survey was designed to target four distinct population groups to understand the impact of the Pilot on travel behaviour. The fieldwork started in December 2023 and the survey was open for four weeks. This month typically sees more leisure trips in the lead up to Christmas and fewer commuting trips. In total 1,476 responses were received.

A representative sample, covering all target groups identified was achieved, with some variation in that one group, non-rail users who have changed their behaviour as a result of the Pilot, had a sample size that was smaller than ideal – this is however, the hardest to reach group (as it is the smallest in actual size) but will be targeted as a priority in the forthcoming survey work.

Target Groups

The online survey was designed to target four distinct population groups to understand the impact of the Pilot. The groups are listed below with respective sample size. In total 1,476 responses were received.

• User Group 1 - Rail users, who do not change their behaviours: 445 responses (30%)
• User Group 2 - Rail users, who do change their behaviours; 444 responses (30%)
• User Group 3 - Non-Rail users, who do change their behaviours; 162 responses (11%)
• User Group 4 - Non-Rail users, who do not change their behaviours; 425 responses (29%)

Demographic Characteristics

As well as considering the different groups using or not using rail services, the sample was designed to capture a representation across certain protected characteristics, in line with the equalities outcomes around accessible and affordable transport detailed in the National Transport Strategy. This included splits by age, disability, gender and income – as an indicator of socioeconomic status. In addition, participants were asked which local authority they lived in and their employment status.

A quarter of responses were provided by those between the ages of 51 to 65. Those under the age of 30 provided just under a quarter of responses, whilst the three age bands between 31 and 50 provided just over half (51%) of responses.

In terms of disability, 58% of respondents indicated that they do not suffer from any long-term illness; 12% indicated suffering from mental health issues; and a further 10% indicated suffering from a physical illness or health condition that affects their ability to travel.

Overall, there was an almost even split between male and female respondents, with 48% of responses submitted by male participants, 51% by female participants and 1% by non-binary participants.

Geographically, most responses were submitted by residents of the City of Glasgow (16%) Local Authority area, with a further 8% from residents of the City of Edinburgh. Fife residents provided a further 6% of responses, while the remaining responses were submitted by residents spread across the rest of Scotland.

Over a quarter (28%) of respondent households earn between £20,000 and £34,999 a year whilst around a fifth (19%) earn between £35,000 and £49,999, and around a further fifth (22%) earn under £20,000 a year. Half of all responses were provided by those in full-time employment, while a fifth were provided by retirees.

In terms of car ownership and ownership of National Entitlement Cards, 67% of respondents have access to a car for their own personal use, whilst a further 8% have shared access to a car with other members of their household. 15% of respondents are NEC card holders, while nine percent are Young Scot card holders. A further nine percent are blue badge holders.

Challenges and Limitations

These interim results are heavily caveated in terms of the limitations imposed on the survey distribution, the time available to survey the public, and understanding (see next section) that demand patterns have changed since the first 3 months. The full impact of the Pilot can only be comprehensively assessed over the full period of the trail. Learning has been taken from this interim assessment and will be used to refine the methodology for the final evaluation.

Travel behaviour survey analysis

A third of respondents who were existing rail users (38%) felt they now saved money as part of the Pilot. The average reported cost saving was £7 per week for those who previously purchased an off-peak ticket (compared with what a peak ticket would have cost), while those who indicated they previously purchased an anytime ticket, the average saving was considered to be £10 a week. Given the actual changes in ticket prices, this is an issue that will be investigated more fully over the remainder of the Pilot but appears to be due to different journey types between different user groups.

Of respondents who indicated that they now make new trips by rail, 45% make one new return trip by rail a week and a third make two new return trips per week. Leisure was the most popular purpose provided by 50% of respondents making new trips.

When existing rail users were asked how likely they would be to continue using rail after the end of the Pilot, 31% indicated that they would definitely continue to use rail and 54% indicated that it would be either highly (27%) or somewhat (27%) likely that they continue to use rail beyond the Pilot.

There are some indications that the Pilot has also attracted new rail users. For this group of respondents new to rail travel, 41% indicated making a new trip by rail which they did not previously make by any mode.

The survey also asked new rail users about the impact of the Pilot on their decision to switch mode; 78% indicated that the Pilot was a very important factor in making this change, and 66% of those within this group who changed when they travelled indicated it was because of the Pilot.

In terms of all new trips, almost 70% of those making new trips by rail indicated that they previously undertook these journeys by another mode of transport. Over half (53%) had previously used a car as a driver, and 33% had switched from bus. However, this analysis is based on a small sample size and should be interpreted with caution. Nonetheless, these results are a useful indicator that suggest people are choosing to swap a car journey for a rail journey.

When asked if they had changed when they travel, a few interesting trends emerged; 30% of respondents noted a change from travelling in the off-peak to the peak. Conversely, 16% indicated a switch in the opposite direction, from peak to off-peak. 52% of respondents indicated that they have not changed when they travel.

The survey also reached out to those who do not use rail to find out the barriers to using rail. The top three reasons in order were:

1. “Trains are too expensive”
2. “I have a car and do not want to pay more for travel”
3. “Trains are too unreliable”