People across Dumfries and Galloway are going to be asking for their views on our region’s highways and transport services – from the condition of roads and footpaths to the quality of cycling facilities.
This week, people across the country will be asked for their opinion on roads and transport thanks to the National Highways and Transport Public Satisfaction survey. Their answers will be compared with the views of other members of the public across England and Scotland,
Dumfries and Galloway Council is one of 112 Local Authorities to sign up to a standardised survey that will ask members of the public exactly the same questions, whether they live in Dudley, Devon or Dumfries and Galloway.
The survey, which is being run for the tenth year is the largest collaboration between Local Authorities offering the opportunity to compare results, share in best practice and identify further opportunities to work together in the future.
The questionnaire will be sent to a minimum random sample of at least 3300 of Dumfries and Galloway’s residents for the next few weeks, followed by a reminder, with local and national results to be published in mid-October 2017. Since the survey is based on a sample, the council is encouraging residents that receive a copy to take part.
Residents who receive the questionnaire can complete the survey online if they prefer. The short URL link will be printed on the front of the survey and they will be required to enter a code before completing the survey.
The results will enable us to find out what people in Dumfries and Galloway think about these important services. This will provide one of several ways the Council can assess how it is performing. It gives the public an opportunity to say which services they think the Council should prioritise, and improve.
Cllr Archie Dryburgh, Chair of the council’s Economy, Environment and Infrastructure committee said “There are clear benefits to conducting a public survey in this way. As elected members we believe we understand what people in our region think of our roads and transport services but the results from this survey will ensure that our understanding is consistent with what local people think. Doing this survey will allow us to carry out a comparison of the results with other local authorities to identify areas of best practice and any national, regional and local trends.”
Vice Chair of the committee, Cllr Andrew Wood, said “This is not about producing a league table to champion one geographical area over another, it is about understanding customer views better and working together to deliver the most satisfactory and efficient outcomes for local residents.”
