More organisations, especially in the public sector, are using research techniques to involve customers in identifying problems, improving services and targeting resources more effectively. In York the Annual Residents survey has shown that traffic congestion and parking are the most important problems in the city, ahead of homelessness, rising unemployment and the influx of tourists. The Traffic and Transportation Section has carried out surveys to find out people's attitudes to its city centre footstreets, car parks, bus Park and Ride service, bus fares, transport for the disabled, road closures, traffic calming and residents' parking. An important principle of the approach used in is that there should be an effective and systematic approach to feedback and review to find out if people want the scheme and then, if implemented, what they think of it. Case studies on the Park and Ride bus service, the Deangate Road Closure and the Groves Traffic Calming Scheme will illustrate some of the research methods and show how the results have been used.
Abstract