Transport
Providing evidence and insight at the heart of the transport world
Ipsos MORI's Transport research team focuses on the issues that matter to clients, passengers, residents and policy-makers.
Operating out of our London and Manchester offices, we work with a wide range of clients and partners, large and small, to provide data and insight into today's transport issues.
Our clients include national government, the local public sector, the private sector and the not-for-profit sector. We use research to help policy-makers understand what works in terms of service delivery and communications.
Our goal is to provide robust evidence while giving passengers and people a voice on the issues associated with getting from A to B.
We have extensive experience of researching public attitudes, customer satisfaction and travel behaviours having worked on projects for a range of clients including British Airways, Eurostar, several train operating companies, the Department for Transport, its agencies (Highways Agency, DVLA, VOSA and DSA), the County Surveyor's Society and Transport for London.
We are a full-service agency using the latest research techniques
Our work has explored what members of the public think about transport services and future policies such as road pricing. We use a range of methodologies including survey research, stated preference, GIS mapping, GPS tracking, origin destination surveys, customer satisfaction surveys, customer journey mapping, concept/policy testing, travel diaries, qualitative research, deliberative research, and more.
Since its inception in 2008 we have run the largest survey of its kind - the National Highways and Transport Survey - which is currently generating benchmarking and performance data on public satisfaction with highways and transportation services for use in Local Transport Plans. The survey is being done this year for 77 local authorities across England. Uniquely, we also offer our clients access to our Transport Journalists Study.
Our team comprises research professionals with an understanding of transport issues, not transport professionals trying to do research. We work closely with the Environment team given the overlap between the two policy areas, and work out of offices in London and Manchester.
Our projects
We work in partnership with clients, designing research to enable them to better understand public, customer and stakeholder perspectives and behaviour. We specialise in using research to support the development of evidence-based policies and planning for the future. We do:
- Surveys of customer and passenger satisfaction
- Surveys of staff
- Research to inform policy and new service development
- Research to inform policy evaluation
- Research to understand travel behaviour and attitudes studies
- Impact and behaviour monitoring and policy evaluation
- Consultation
- Research to inform Local Transport Plans
- Deliberative and diagnostic qualitative research
- Research among stakeholders and key audiences such as transport journalists and MPs
Our methods
We use a range of data gathering techniques, some traditional, others cutting edge:
- Social survey research sampling methods including quota and random probability approaches
- Telephone, in-home, web and postal surveys
- On-board and at-station surveys using palm-held devices
- The latest scanning technology (for postal surveys and processing consultation responses)
- Stated preference, conjoint analysis and other statistical analysis techniques
- Discussion (focus) groups, depth and deliberative workshops
- Travel diaries and customer journey mapping
- GPS tracking devices
- GIS mapping
- Horizon scanning and 'real trends' analysis