Direct engagement with Burngreave residents to understand perceptions about planned improvement works
day interviewing period
residents interviewed in-person
minute doorstep survey administered in target streets
Challenge
Sheffield City Council’s Connecting Sheffield programme aims to transform the transport infrastructure that people use to get around the city by creating high quality, convenient and safer routes into and around the city for cycling, walking and public transport.
As part of the programme, improvement works were proposed in the Burngreave area, focused on improving local journeys to schools, shops and services, whilst creating an environment which makes getting around the area feel safer and easier. Enventure Research was commissions to undertake direct engagement with residents living in and adjacent to the two key streets around which proposals are centred, as part of the Council’s wider public consultation on the proposed improvements.
Approach
The consultation questionnaire initially designed by Sheffield City Council was adapted for a door-to-door interviewing approach.
Experienced market research interviewers visited properties in the target area on streets identified by the Council to administer the survey with residents on the doorstep. Interviewers used showcards displaying the changes being proposed to residents to ensure they felt confident to provide their views.
Interviews took an average of ten minutes to complete. Interviewers carried a letter of authority from the Council which included contact details for those wishing to verify the legitimacy of the research.
Outcome
During the four-day fieldwork period, a total of 96 interviews with Burngreave residents were completed. Enventure Research undertook analysis of the survey data, providing the Council with a comprehensive research report.
The findings provided the Council with clear insight into residents’ awareness, understanding and expectations about the proposed improvement works and will inform the next phase of the Connecting Sheffield programme.
“Burngreave is a busy neighbourhood where lots of people walk or use buses for everyday journeys. Sheffield City Council has been consulting on changes to local streets to make it easier and safer for people who travel without a car to get to school, work or to local shops and services. Our proposals will give priority to people crossing side roads, using measures that encourage drivers to slow down and give way at junctions, in line with the Highway Code. There are also plans to reduce pavement parking and remove some through-traffic on quieter streets. Together, these improvements will make it easier, safer and more attractive to walk, wheel and travel by bus in the local area.
Working in partnership with Counter Context, we promoted community engagement through a range of channels including leaflet drops to over 2,300 properties, email bulletins, on street notices, digital promotion, an online survey and in-person events. Local schools also helped us to engage with parents and children.
We commissioned Enventure Research to carry out a programme of door-to-door interviews, to provide proactive and high-quality engagement with residents. This gave us valuable insight into views and priorities of people living in the area, complementing other feedback we gathered in person, by email or online.
Doorstep interviews reached a high number of respondents overall, and people who participated were more likely to benefit from our proposals. 88% of those interviewed were residents (compared to 67% of those that completed the online survey) and a high proportion of participants normally walk (42%) or travel by bus (19%) compared to 24% and 13% (respectively) of those responding online. Furthermore, overall sentiment towards the proposals was significantly more positive from residents we proactively engaged with on the doorstep, when compared to self-selected responses to the online survey.
We are pleased at how straightforward it was to engage with Enventure Research. Interviews were progressed quickly and Enventure’s report was succinct and easy to follow.”
Insightful research. Expertly delivered.
