The majority of people believe local authorities are best placed to deliver improvements to local road infrastructure, a new survey has revealed.
Research from Copper Consultancy found that more than one in three people (35%) are dissatisfied with their local road infrastructure, and 60% believe councils are best placed to deliver improvements.
Based on a poll of over 2,000 people, the research also revealed that the vast majority of people (75%) would support road improvement schemes if they were proposed near them, while only 4% would oppose.
According to the survey results, the three next most popular types of transport improvement project are: public transport (71% support, 4% oppose), pedestrian routes (69% support, 4% oppose), and cycle paths (57% support, 11% oppose).
Reflecting on the results of its poll, Copper Consultancy warned that while the public supports local authority-led transport schemes, just over a third (34%) of the respondents said they were not very knowledgeable about UK transport.
Stephen Giles-Medhurst, Transport and Infrastructure spokesperson for the County Councils Network (CCN), said: ‘This research is extremely useful in highlighting where the public’s priorities lie in transport infrastructure.
‘It also shows that residents recognise the difficult financial circumstances facing local authorities, who are working with dwindling government resource and rising inflation rates. People want to see road improvements and investment in greener schemes – but this requires sufficient funding and devolved powers to oversee and improve public transport.’
Tom Bennett, associate director of Highways at Copper Consultancy, commented: ‘This research shows the public wants to see tangible improvements to transport infrastructure in their area.
‘However, people have become accustomed to national developers’ complex stakeholder and customer engagement campaigns, and many will expect local authorities to follow suit. But most lack the resources required to deliver this.
‘Local authorities will need effective engagement strategies to deliver schemes that are both responsive to local needs and future-proof, on time and budget.’
