Write and design a community transport questionnaire

Every questionnaire should include:

a brief introduction explaining why you are conducting a survey
an explanation of how the information will be used
whether the information will be shared with other organisations
the name and contact details of the organisation conducting the survey
the return deadline and how to return the completed questionnaire

The way you phrase your questions will change the way people respond.

Closed questions

The respondent chooses one or more answers from a list of options.
The respondent is unable to express their own opinions.
Easy to analyse and provide a definitive answer

Open questions

The respondent can personalise their answer, rather than selecting from a list
Ensure there is enough space for people to write their answers
More difficult to analyse, but provide more insight

Ask one or two closed questions followed by an open question. This provides answers which are easy to analyse, but with some detailed insight.

Questionnaire example - a mix of closed and open questions

Individuals or households?

A single household may have mixed needs. Keep this in mind when writing your questions.

If you want answers based on the whole household, consider using 'tick all that apply' questions.
If you want answers based on individuals, include information on how the respondent can get extra copies of the questionnaire for others in their household.

Table questions

Asking respondents to fill in a table can provide clear answers.

Questionnaire example - table questions

Respondent profiles

It can be helpful to get profiles of respondents (age, gender, location). This also helps you to see which groups haven't responded, and identify the need to carry out further consultations for balance.

If you ask for names and contact details, this should be optional. Clearly state how this information will be used:

If you are happy for us to contact you about your transport needs, include your name and telephone number in the space below. This information will not be shared with anybody else.

It is important that you only use the information in the way you say you will.

Find out about how you are allowed to store, use and share personal information on the Information Commissioner's Office website.

Questionnaire writing tips

Allow space for people to make their own comments
Avoid leading questions
Keep the language simple and jargon free

How you design and lay out your questionnaire influences the number of people you reach.

Make your questionnaire eye catching
Include the Parish Council logo (where relevant)
Use a large, easy-to-read font
Avoid putting colours, shading or images behind text

Guidance on the layout and design of printed publications

Question layout

Questions should be in a logical order. The first few questions should be simple and inclusive to encourage responses.

If you start with "How often do you use the No. 7 bus?", you exclude those who don't use the service. They may believe the rest of the questionnaire is not relevant to them.
If you start with "Which of the following services do you use?" (followed by a list of options), more respondents are able to answer.

Don't ask any questions you don't need to. If your questionnaire is too long, people are likely to get bored before they finish. This will affect your response rate.

When the final draft is ready, test the questionnaire on some volunteers. Analyse the responses to see if you receive the right data.

How long does it take to complete?
Are any questions too hard to understand?
Did you get the answers you expected? If not, why not?

Paper questionnaires

Delivering a paper questionnaire to every household in your community:

allows a wide range of people to contribute their thoughts
provides an indication of transport needs across the whole community
collects information from a large number of people in a short space of time
allows individuals who have difficulty getting out and about to participate

The most cost effective method of distributing a paper questionnaire is to include it with an existing distribution, such as a parish newsletter. If you choose to distribute in a local newspaper, be sure to check their household coverage and any associated costs. Distribution through Royal Mail will also cost money.

Digital questionnaires

Consider distributing and collecting your questionnaire online. This could be on your parish website or circulated by email (if an email distribution list is available).

Alternatively, you can use a free online survey tool such as Survey Monkey. People can complete your questionnaire online, and the responses are collected for you.

Face to face / telephone questionnaires

Some people find completing a questionnaire on their own difficult. You can use volunteers to ask the questions face to face or over the telephone to increase responses from these members of the community.

Parish plan consultations

Many Parish Councils consult their residents when developing a parish plan. Ask the Parish Council if they could include transport related questions in their consultation.

How to encourage responses

Set up a collection box in an accessible public place, such as the village shop
Organise a door to door collection with volunteers
Pay for a Freepost address for responses
Enter survey respondents into a prize draw