Agenda item

Report by Interim Director, Kent Highway Services)

(1)       Satisfaction surveys, to gauge perception of the highway service had been carried out since 1987.  The 2008 survey was carried out in November and December and included seeking views from residents, County Members, Parish/Town Councils and for the first time, District Members.

(2)       The survey was conducted by an independent market research company called BMG and a summary of the results were presented in the report.  The information would be used to help improve service delivery.

(3)       A total of 1,237 face to face interviews were carried out on a representative sample of Kent residents with approximately 100 interviews, reflecting the age, gender and economic status, in each of the twelve Districts.  This sample size gave a +/- 2.78% accuracy for results at a County level and +/- 10% accuracy at a District level.

(4)       In addition to residents views the same survey questions were asked of all County and District Members and Parish/Town Councils.  A total of 63 County Members responded (a response rate of 75%), 193 District Members replied (a response rate of 33%) whilst for Parish/Town Councils a total of 154 completed the survey (a response rate of 50%).

(5)       The questionnaire comprised over 40 questions, ranging from satisfaction with the condition of roads, pavements, streetlights and local bus and train service, the most important and most in need of improvement of the services KHS provided, through to views on congestion, accessibility to local services and vulnerability when using the highway.

(6)       Results were reported by 'Net-Satisfaction'.  This was a figure calculated by taking the % of people who were dis-satisfied with the service from the % who were satisfied. This gave a true reflection of the service and a balance between those happy, those un-happy and those who were not sure.

(7)       The key headline from the survey was the continuing improvement in the public’s perception of roads, pavements and streetlights.  For the third successive year there were more residents satisfied than dissatisfied and the last two years results were shown in the Table below.  More detail was set out in Appendix 1 of the report.

(8)       The other key headline was the significant difference in perception between residents and County Members, District Members and Parish/Town Councils.  This continued the trend over the last three years where there were significantly more members dissatisfied than satisfied with roads, pavements and streetlights, although there had been an improvement this year from the 2007 results.  The results were set out in Appendix 2 of the report.

(9)       Overall 73% of residents were aware of Kent Highway Services prior to the interview.  Whilst 28% were aware of the single 08458 247 800 number to call KHS only 14% have contacted KHS to report a problem or seek information.  Of those who had contacted KHS 62% were satisfied with the response with 28% dissatisfied.  This was a considerable improvement from the 2007 survey.

(10)     Residents rated road repairs and cleaning drains/stopping flooding as the top most important KHS services whilst County Members rated cleaning road drains/stopping flooding, pavement repairs and road repairs as the most important with Parish/Town Councils rating road repairs and cleaning road drains/stopping flooding.  District Members stated road repairs, cleaning drains and preventing flooding and pavement repairs

(11)     Residents stated that the KHS services that most need improving were repairing roads and pavements and cleaning drains whilst County Members felt it was repairing roads, pavements and cleaning drains with Parish/Town Councils stating road repairs and cleaning road drains.  District Members also identified road repairs and cleaning road drains.  So there was strong consensus as to where improvement should be directed.

(12)     In terms of congestion 33% of residents felt they were affected by peak time congestion on a daily basis which was lower than the 2007 survey.  Interesting to note was that in Maidstone, where the Traffic Management Centre was now in operation, there had been a reduction from 44% to 31% of residents who felt their journey was affected by congestion on a daily basis.

(13)     Responses to ways of alleviating congestion, as in previous surveys, centred around greater restrictions on roadworks and staggering school opening times.

(14)     In all 60% of residents used a car to travel to work with 49% using one on a daily basis.  It was recognised by 49% of respondents that KHS encouraged residents and businesses to adopt green forms of travel.  Car share schemes and discounts for train/bus tickets and cheaper fares were the three strategies most likely to change people’s use of the car to travel to work.

(15)     In all, 54% of the public had used local bus services in the past with 71% of users satisfied with the service overall.  Cost, cleanliness and comfort were reasons for dissatisfaction.

(16)     There were 50% of residents who had used the train with 64% satisfied with the overall service provided. Cost, cleanliness, punctuality and frequency were the main reasons for dissatisfaction.

(17)     The annual tracker survey provided a wide range of information to help shape and improve highway service delivery The tracker survey report was very large and contained much more detailed information along with an executive summary at the beginning.  A full copy of the report would be available on the KCC website.

 (18)    The Board:-

(a)              noted the good progress being made in public perception of the highway service; and

(b)             agreed to work closely with officers to understand the concerns of Members and Parish/Town Councils demonstrated through the survey.