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Chapter two: Research methodology and analysis
This chapter sets out the research methodology for the project and provides details of the data collection instruments used, sampling procedures employed and analysis undertaken.
Methodology
The project consisted of both qualitative and quantitative components. A telephone survey was conducted initially to address the main objectives of this research. To complement the findings from the telephone survey, two focus groups were conducted. These sessions were particularly useful in understanding, to what extent and in what ways the public thought travel information services such as Traveline Scotland contribute to modal shift. This primary research was augmented by further analysis of key variables from the Scottish Household Survey.
Telephone survey
The telephone survey was conducted from 4 th - 18 th April 2005 using contact details from the Scottish Household Survey ( SHS). Respondents who had participated in the SHS in either 2004 or 2005 (to mid March 2005), had given permission to be re-contacted and who were identified to have telephoned Traveline or used the Traveline internet service 2 to plan their journey were used as the sample for the telephone survey. A total of 760 respondents met these criteria. Table 2.1 illustrates how the eligible sample was derived:
Table 2.1: Sample
| SHS 2004 | SHS 2005 (to mid march) |
|---|
Total number of SHS respondents | 15,942 | 2,999 |
|---|
Total number of respondents who gave permission to be re-contacted and who had 11 digits in their telephone number | 8,679 | 1,504 |
|---|
Total number of respondents who stated that they either telephoned Traveline Scotland, used an internet service to plan their journey or from the 2005 sample, used the Traveline Scotland website | 677 | 83 |
|---|
Total eligible sample | 677 | 83 |
|---|
A total of 223 interviews were achieved over the two-week fieldwork period, after exhausting the eligible SHS sample, giving a response rate of 29%.
Questionnaire Design
The questionnaire comprised of 21 questions and was approximately 10 minutes long. A screener section (questions 1-5) was included at the start of the questionnaire so that only those people who had used or remembered using a Traveline Scotland service, would be interviewed in this survey.
Topics covered in the questionnaire included:
- Introduction and confirmation of key details from the Scottish Household Survey;
- Use of cars and public transport for key journeys;
- Attitudes to public transport, the car and modal shift - this would help to investigate the desire and likelihood of switching car journeys and identify the types of people who are maybe more likely to make the switch from the car to public transport;
- Use and preference of Traveline Scotland services;
- Types of journey for which Traveline Scotland was used for;
- Changes in travel modes for key journeys and reasons for changes. These reasons would focus on initial triggers - key events that prompt consideration of modal shift. These might be job changes or house moves or might be triggered by consideration of buying a new car;
- The role of Traveline Scotland in facilitating changes and the likelihood of changing to public transport without using Traveline Scotland - this would include the 'user experience' of the telephone service and web site including ease of use and the accuracy and quality of information;
- Short and long-term changes and commitment to changes - This would assess the extent to which respondents have made permanent changes to their travel patterns and the factors that might prompt reversion to car use; and
- Permission to re-contact question for the follow-up focus groups
A copy of the questionnaire can be found in Appendix B.
Focus groups
The focus group research was used to complement the findings from the telephone survey and examine in more depth how much participants feel Traveline Scotland has encouraged them to use public transport more.
Recruitment
Two focus groups were conducted during the week commencing 23 rd May 2005. Due to the spread of the sample from the telephone survey, the groups were conducted in Edinburgh and Glasgow. The participants were a sample of all the respondents in the telephone survey who had given permission to be re-contacted. Each group contained a mix of males and females who were all frequent users of Traveline Scotland whose knowledge of, and attitudes towards the services were expected to be clearer and more informed than less frequent users. Although 10 people were recruited for each group, seven people attended the Edinburgh group and five attended the Glasgow group.
The focus groups were recruited on the basis of frequency of service use, gender and preference of service. Only those people who had used either the website or telephone service 4+ times or more in the past 12 months were included in the recruitment sample. Within this MORI recruited equal proportions of males and females, mixed age groups and at least 3 people who preferred to contact Traveline Scotland by telephone and at least 3 who preferred to contact Traveline Scotland via the website. Although, equal proportions of frequent Traveline Scotland telephone and website users were preferred, the recruiter was given some flexibility due to having a small sample. Table 2.2 illustrates the composition of the groups on the day.
Table 2.2: Focus group composition
Group 1: Edinburgh |
Participant | Gender | Age | Preference to contact TLS |
|---|
1 | Female | 47 | Website |
2 | Female | 52 | Website |
3 | Male | 40 | Website |
4 | Male | 29 | Website |
5 | Male | 24 | Website |
6 | Female | 59 | Telephone |
7 | Male | 56 | Telephone |
Group 2: Glasgow |
Participant | Gender | Age | Preference to contact TLS |
|---|
1 | Female | 37 | No preferred method |
2 | Male | 27 | Website |
3 | Female | 27 | Website |
4 | Female | 48 | Telephone |
5 | Female | 47 | Telephone |
Topic Guide
The findings from the telephone survey were used to inform the topic guide for the groups. The groups were intended to explore in more depth some of the reasons why people choose to use, or not use, public transport and their particular experiences of using Traveline Scotland services. The focus group sessions included two interactive sessions. The participants were given internet stills from an actual journey using the website, followed by an actual telephone call to Traveline Scotland (which was put on speakerphone so the whole group could hear). The objective of these sessions was to remind participants of how the Traveline Scotland telephone and website services worked. The main themes discussed in the focus group sessions included:
- attitudes towards using public transport and the car;
- experience of using public transport information services in general;
- experience of using the Traveline Scotland telephone and internet service;
- types of journey Traveline Scotland is used for;
- reasons for electing to use public transport for these journeys;
- modes of transport used before and after contacting Traveline Scotland for different journey types;
- discussion of why people continue to use their cars or have changed to public transport after contacting Traveline Scotland;
- long terms vs. short terms changes in travel behaviour; and
- solutions to facilitate modal shift through Traveline Scotland
A copy of the Topic Guide can be found in Appendix C.
Analysis
Quantitative Survey
Key variables from the SHS (2004 and 2005) were combined with the current survey data to provide a more in-depth analysis of the results. These key variables were as follows:
- Gender (Male, Female)
- Age (16-24, 25-44, 45-64 and 65+)
- Employment status (Employed, Unemployed)
- Annual Income (<£15,600 and > £5,200 per annum, <£26,000 and > £15,600, <£36,400 and > £26,000, and £36,400+)
- Number of cars available for private use (0, 1 and 2+);
- SIMD (Urban, Small Towns and Rural)
- Frequency of transport use (Public transport at least once a week and car at least once a week);
- Frequency of Traveline Scotland use (1-3 times, 4-10 times and 10+ times);
- Preferred method to contact Traveline Scotland (Telephone or Internet); and
- Distance to nearest bus stop (3 minutes or less, 4-6 minutes and 7+ minutes)
All survey results are subject to sampling variability which means that observed differences between sub-groups may not always be statistically significant i.e. they may have occurred by chance. Where percentages do not sum to 100%, this may be due to computer rounding, the exclusion of 'don't know' categories or multiple answers. Throughout the report, an asterisk (*) denotes any value of less that half a per cent.
Interpretation of Qualitative Data
Two of the key strengths of qualitative research are that it allows issues to be explored in detail and enables researchers to test the strength of people's opinions and the underlying rationale for people's attitudes and behaviours.
However, it needs to be remembered that qualitative research does not allow conclusions to be drawn about either the extent to which something is happening among the wider public (although one might surmise that particular opinions appear to be widespread) or percentages of people that have certain attitudes or opinions. Qualitative research is designed to be illustrative rather than providing statistically representative data. It should also be noted that due to limitations of the sample size only two focus groups could be conducted. These groups were conducted in urban areas and only reflect opinions and attitudes of people living in these areas and not those of people living in more rural locations, where public transport provision would be different.
Again, it should also be remembered that throughout this report when we refer to information from the focus group research, we record perceptions, not facts. Participants may hold views based on incorrect information; these perceptions are reported here. This balance is addressed and complemented by the quantitative research.
Findings from the focus group research are presented throughout this report to corroborate or challenge the key themes arising from the telephone survey.
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