Two investigations to obtain information on public preferences towards the conveyance of a fixed amount of freight in different sizes of lorry were carried out in 1975 in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire and Marlow, Buckinghamshire. One lorry of 16 tons, two of 8 tons, and four of 4 tons carrying capacity were driven around circuits in the two towns. Interviews were obtained with 172 pedestrians in the shopping streets and 157 residents in the side roads; they were asked which group bothered them most and why, and which group bothered them least. The answers to which group 'bothered most' were evenly divided between the one large lorry and the four small ones. Conversely, the one large lorry also 'bothered least' more often than the other groups, while a combination of all preferences suggested that the two medium sized lorries were the least disliked overall. It is concluded that no clear preferences can be established, especially as many respondents had difficulty in discriminating between the groups. Noise was the most frequently mentioned reason for any one group bothering more than others. It is stressed that the experimental situations were artificial as they showed the four small lorries running in convoy and subjective assessments were based on transitory rather than long term impressions. (Author/publisher)
Abstract