§ Mr. David Huntasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will set out the nature of the questions asked in the regional highway traffic project, the basis on which the interviewees are chosen, the number of interviewees and the use to which the information so collected is to be put.
§ Mr. William RodgersThe questions asked in roadside censuses related to the origins and destinations of the journey being undertaken and its purpose as, for example, from home to work; or on employers business; or for recreation.
Questions asked in home interviews related to household information such as number and sex of members and their ages, the availability of cars for personal use and driver licence holding, and the total household income. Other questions related to the journeys made by members of the household during the preceding 24 hours to obtain destination, method of travel and purpose of the journey as above.
627WThe roadside interviews were sought from a random sample of approximately 10 per cent. of drivers during one day on roads which carry about 75 per cent. of inter-urban travel.
A total of about 50,000 household interviews was required, selected at random from electoral registers, chosen to represent locality characteristics from major conurbations to rural areas.
The information provided in both parts of the survey will be used to produce mathematical traffic models in order to improve accuracy in planning the iter-urban road network.