Practitioners should not feel restricted to conventional data sources relating to the supply and use of the transport system when seeking to identify transport problems. Other data routinely collected by local authorities, Government departments and agencies and other public bodies may be helpful.
Examples include, but are not limited to:
- Land-use data - data on new house completions or retail floor area can be used to illustrate rapid growth in transport demand, similarly data on vacant properties can indicate decline. Trends in an area's attractiveness can be informed by retail and office rents. Similarly house price data can inform a view of trends in the residential sector. Uncompleted planning permissions can give an indication of potential future problems, as could data on land zoned for different development;
- Surveys of development plans - development plans should contain a positive and sustainable vision of an area's future, with structure plans providing a long term vision, looking forward at least 10 years, supporting and encouraging sustainable patterns of travel. Local plans often contain detailed analysis of environmental, social and community issues and problems, including integrated transport issues;
- Scottish Household Survey - this is a continuous survey that commenced in 1999. About 15,500 different households across Scotland are interviewed each year. The survey collects transport-related data, as well as data for a number of other topic areas. The questions cover household car ownership and use; the accessibility of bus services; the frequency of driving, cycling and walking; travel to work and to school; and other transport topics, including Travel Diary information. Further information about the survey is available from the Scottish Government website.
- The Census - The National Census is undertaken every ten years. The Census provides data on household structures, car ownership and journey to work characteristics amongst other things. Information from the 2001 Census results for Scotland may be found at http://www.scrol.gov.uk/.
