Highways Agency Census in Bath?
Discussion
Hi there,
I was travelling to work this morning in a car with two colleagues when we were flagged into a layby by traffic police. We were then asked to take part in a Census for the Highways Agency. There were no other cars pulled in at the time, so I suspect they may only have been stopping cars with more than one occupant. This took place on the dual carriageway part of the A4 at Bath and they'd closed off a lane for the purpose.
They asked us the following questions:
Where have you come from and what is the postcode?
Where are you going and the postcode?
Are you travelling for work?
Where will you be parking?
And lastly - Please indicate on one of these boxes your household income (eh?)
Now, I'm thinking; what on earth are they up to? They'd know where we work, where we lived, our car registration number and how much money is coming into the household.
The chap was also quite intrigued when we told him we parked in Royal Victoria Park, which is the last place anywhere near the town centre which you can park for free.
Does anyone know what the purpose of such a survey would be? Considering the anti-car measures which are being taken all over the place at present, I can only imagine this has something to do with making getting to work and minding your own business more difficult.
Of course I may be paranoid and completely wrong but then again...
I was travelling to work this morning in a car with two colleagues when we were flagged into a layby by traffic police. We were then asked to take part in a Census for the Highways Agency. There were no other cars pulled in at the time, so I suspect they may only have been stopping cars with more than one occupant. This took place on the dual carriageway part of the A4 at Bath and they'd closed off a lane for the purpose.
They asked us the following questions:
Where have you come from and what is the postcode?
Where are you going and the postcode?
Are you travelling for work?
Where will you be parking?
And lastly - Please indicate on one of these boxes your household income (eh?)
Now, I'm thinking; what on earth are they up to? They'd know where we work, where we lived, our car registration number and how much money is coming into the household.
The chap was also quite intrigued when we told him we parked in Royal Victoria Park, which is the last place anywhere near the town centre which you can park for free.
Does anyone know what the purpose of such a survey would be? Considering the anti-car measures which are being taken all over the place at present, I can only imagine this has something to do with making getting to work and minding your own business more difficult.
Of course I may be paranoid and completely wrong but then again...
Dougie. said:
Hi there,
I was travelling to work this morning in a car with two colleagues when we were flagged into a layby by traffic police. We were then asked to take part in a Census for the Highways Agency. There were no other cars pulled in at the time, so I suspect they may only have been stopping cars with more than one occupant. This took place on the dual carriageway part of the A4 at Bath and they'd closed off a lane for the purpose.
They asked us the following questions:
Where have you come from and what is the postcode?
Where are you going and the postcode?
Are you travelling for work?
Where will you be parking?
And lastly - Please indicate on one of these boxes your household income (eh?)
Now, I'm thinking; what on earth are they up to? They'd know where we work, where we lived, our car registration number and how much money is coming into the household.
The chap was also quite intrigued when we told him we parked in Royal Victoria Park, which is the last place anywhere near the town centre which you can park for free.
Does anyone know what the purpose of such a survey would be? Considering the anti-car measures which are being taken all over the place at present, I can only imagine this has something to do with making getting to work and minding your own business more difficult.
Of course I may be paranoid and completely wrong but then again...
I was travelling to work this morning in a car with two colleagues when we were flagged into a layby by traffic police. We were then asked to take part in a Census for the Highways Agency. There were no other cars pulled in at the time, so I suspect they may only have been stopping cars with more than one occupant. This took place on the dual carriageway part of the A4 at Bath and they'd closed off a lane for the purpose.
They asked us the following questions:
Where have you come from and what is the postcode?
Where are you going and the postcode?
Are you travelling for work?
Where will you be parking?
And lastly - Please indicate on one of these boxes your household income (eh?)
Now, I'm thinking; what on earth are they up to? They'd know where we work, where we lived, our car registration number and how much money is coming into the household.
The chap was also quite intrigued when we told him we parked in Royal Victoria Park, which is the last place anywhere near the town centre which you can park for free.
Does anyone know what the purpose of such a survey would be? Considering the anti-car measures which are being taken all over the place at present, I can only imagine this has something to do with making getting to work and minding your own business more difficult.
Of course I may be paranoid and completely wrong but then again...
Do you legally have to answer such questions? Income???
Philbes said:
Dougie. said:
Hi there,
I was travelling to work this morning in a car with two colleagues when we were flagged into a layby by traffic police. We were then asked to take part in a Census for the Highways Agency. There were no other cars pulled in at the time, so I suspect they may only have been stopping cars with more than one occupant. This took place on the dual carriageway part of the A4 at Bath and they'd closed off a lane for the purpose.
They asked us the following questions:
Where have you come from and what is the postcode?
Where are you going and the postcode?
Are you travelling for work?
Where will you be parking?
And lastly - Please indicate on one of these boxes your household income (eh?)
Now, I'm thinking; what on earth are they up to? They'd know where we work, where we lived, our car registration number and how much money is coming into the household.
The chap was also quite intrigued when we told him we parked in Royal Victoria Park, which is the last place anywhere near the town centre which you can park for free.
Does anyone know what the purpose of such a survey would be? Considering the anti-car measures which are being taken all over the place at present, I can only imagine this has something to do with making getting to work and minding your own business more difficult.
Of course I may be paranoid and completely wrong but then again...
I was travelling to work this morning in a car with two colleagues when we were flagged into a layby by traffic police. We were then asked to take part in a Census for the Highways Agency. There were no other cars pulled in at the time, so I suspect they may only have been stopping cars with more than one occupant. This took place on the dual carriageway part of the A4 at Bath and they'd closed off a lane for the purpose.
They asked us the following questions:
Where have you come from and what is the postcode?
Where are you going and the postcode?
Are you travelling for work?
Where will you be parking?
And lastly - Please indicate on one of these boxes your household income (eh?)
Now, I'm thinking; what on earth are they up to? They'd know where we work, where we lived, our car registration number and how much money is coming into the household.
The chap was also quite intrigued when we told him we parked in Royal Victoria Park, which is the last place anywhere near the town centre which you can park for free.
Does anyone know what the purpose of such a survey would be? Considering the anti-car measures which are being taken all over the place at present, I can only imagine this has something to do with making getting to work and minding your own business more difficult.
Of course I may be paranoid and completely wrong but then again...
Do you legally have to answer such questions? Income???
I am not sure.. but I think I may have asked if I had to und by what law ...
I could understand questions concerning to/from/parking - but not income question und I think I would have refused to answer that one und then contacted newspapers (like Waily) immediately should they have threatened to arrest me for that.
Did you all have to answer these questions or just the driver?
We've had this in Cambridge as well the last few weeks - I've been stopped twice and MrsFG once.
The start, end and parking questions were compulsory, but how would they know if you told the truth
The household income was optional we could refuse.
No record of your registration or name etc. was made.
The start, end and parking questions were compulsory, but how would they know if you told the truth
The household income was optional we could refuse.
No record of your registration or name etc. was made.
I'd tell them that I don't remember postcodes (have a look for my rant about getting asked for my address to get a refund in P+P!) - and that I've no idea yet where I'll park, depends on traffic. Perfectly reasonable, and of no use / consequence to anyone.
Wouldn't it be better to ask people entering a car park, "'scuse me chap, do you mind if ew ask which town you've come from"?
Wouldn't it be better to ask people entering a car park, "'scuse me chap, do you mind if ew ask which town you've come from"?
You are obliged to stop.
You are not legally obliged to take part in the survey. You can ploitely decline, saying you're too busy, etc.
Such surveys are designed to influence future transport policies in the area.
Length of journey, parking used at destination and social status (income) to define likelihood of using public or private transport.
You are not legally obliged to take part in the survey. You can ploitely decline, saying you're too busy, etc.
Such surveys are designed to influence future transport policies in the area.
Length of journey, parking used at destination and social status (income) to define likelihood of using public or private transport.
sean5302 said:
You are obliged to stop.
You are not legally obliged to take part in the survey.
You are not legally obliged to take part in the survey.
We were only given the opportunity to not disclose income all other questions were deemed compulsory.
In any case we were stopped in a single file line that blocked the carriageway (rather than diverted to lay-by even though there was one) about 4 cars back from the front - so we couldn't go anywhere until everyone up front had answered!
I would certainly want to argue the legality of any survey I was stopped for. I'd want to know why they want the infor, what they plan to do with it (under DPA regulations) etc.
Only to annoy them of course - then just give them a random postcode as Im sure they arent doing any survey for my benefit !
Only to annoy them of course - then just give them a random postcode as Im sure they arent doing any survey for my benefit !
As far as I am concerned you are required to stop, but you don't have to answer ANY personal questions. They can 'deem' all they want, but your journey details are your private business. As for asking your salary, if I were asked this they would get a 2 word answer, the second being 'off'.
WTF do they think they are? You can bet your life the questons are used to determine how better to scam more cash out of everyone.
WTF do they think they are? You can bet your life the questons are used to determine how better to scam more cash out of everyone.
Firstly, if it's uniformed Plod then yes, you have to stop.
Suitable answers to the interrogation follow, as long as it's not Plod asking of course
They asked us the following questions:
Where have you come from and what is the postcode?
Home and can't remember.
Where are you going and the postcode?
Work and can't remember.
Are you travelling for work?
I refer you to my previous answer.
Where will you be parking?
Anywhere i can.
And lastly - Please indicate on one of these boxes your household income (eh?)
Feck off.
Suitable answers to the interrogation follow, as long as it's not Plod asking of course
Dougie. said:
They asked us the following questions:
Where have you come from and what is the postcode?
Home and can't remember.
Dougie. said:
Where are you going and the postcode?
Work and can't remember.
Dougie. said:
Are you travelling for work?
I refer you to my previous answer.
Dougie. said:
Where will you be parking?
Anywhere i can.
Dougie. said:
And lastly - Please indicate on one of these boxes your household income (eh?)
Feck off.
They were still there at 6.30pm tonight!
We weren't going to argue the point as we needed to get a move on otherwise we wouldn't get one of the last remaining free parking spaces!
They got the wrong home postcode because he wrote a B instead of a D on the form and we picked an income bracket lower than what my flatmate and I actually get (nosey buggers). The reg numbers weren't taken officially, but what's to stop them noting them anyway?
I wouldn't have given it so much thought if they'd told us what the survey was actually for. No doubt it's something to do with making life more difficult for the very people who keep the local economy working without offering any viable alternatives. The latest wheeze from the local council was that they're going to ban all HGVs from the town centre. That'll be nice for everyone in the surrounding area.
I hate driving into Bath every day but there is no alternative. I'd use public transport to get to work quite happily but car sharing between three people costs us less than £7 each per week in fuel. Public transport costs that every day!
We weren't going to argue the point as we needed to get a move on otherwise we wouldn't get one of the last remaining free parking spaces!
They got the wrong home postcode because he wrote a B instead of a D on the form and we picked an income bracket lower than what my flatmate and I actually get (nosey buggers). The reg numbers weren't taken officially, but what's to stop them noting them anyway?
I wouldn't have given it so much thought if they'd told us what the survey was actually for. No doubt it's something to do with making life more difficult for the very people who keep the local economy working without offering any viable alternatives. The latest wheeze from the local council was that they're going to ban all HGVs from the town centre. That'll be nice for everyone in the surrounding area.
I hate driving into Bath every day but there is no alternative. I'd use public transport to get to work quite happily but car sharing between three people costs us less than £7 each per week in fuel. Public transport costs that every day!
Are you serious?
Tell them to go forth and multiply if they ask questions like that. NO Questions are mandatory when it comes to a survey (never heard of police holding a survey either). I would ask them what they are doing about robbers and muggers whilst they are sat at the road with a clip board.
At this point I would write to the Chief Constable and ask him what his officers are doing asking people about their incomes, and for what purpose. Sounds like a definate breach of the Data Protection Act to me.
Tell them to go forth and multiply if they ask questions like that. NO Questions are mandatory when it comes to a survey (never heard of police holding a survey either). I would ask them what they are doing about robbers and muggers whilst they are sat at the road with a clip board.
At this point I would write to the Chief Constable and ask him what his officers are doing asking people about their incomes, and for what purpose. Sounds like a definate breach of the Data Protection Act to me.
jasandjules said:
Are you serious?
Tell them to go forth and multiply if they ask questions like that. NO Questions are mandatory when it comes to a survey (never heard of police holding a survey either). I would ask them what they are doing about robbers and muggers whilst they are sat at the road with a clip board.
At this point I would write to the Chief Constable and ask him what his officers are doing asking people about their incomes, and for what purpose. Sounds like a definate breach of the Data Protection Act to me.
Tell them to go forth and multiply if they ask questions like that. NO Questions are mandatory when it comes to a survey (never heard of police holding a survey either). I would ask them what they are doing about robbers and muggers whilst they are sat at the road with a clip board.
At this point I would write to the Chief Constable and ask him what his officers are doing asking people about their incomes, and for what purpose. Sounds like a definate breach of the Data Protection Act to me.
Plod aren't conducting these surveys it's the Highways Agency. The Police are only there to force people to pull in.
jasandjules said:
Sounds like a definate breach of the Data Protection Act to me.
Nothing logged to identify any Data Subject - so no DPA issue at all. I specifically asked the first time I got pulled and got shown the form they fill in, no where for any personal stuff.
As I said at the top - they don't know if you are telling the truth and the salary info was discretionary.
Also, in Cambridge it was advertised on the local radio stations newspapers for about 2 weeks before the survey started. The (alleged) reasoning was to collect traffic flow data to help with future traffic planning initiatives (which could of course mean pay as you go travel
) Anyway - I'm not condoning the surveys or their legalities etc, just stating my experience of them in Cambridge.
vipers said:
When they ask you your income, tell them "About 10 times what your earning".
Hee Hee - when asked where I have come from I just think of the furthest town at one end of the country, say Truro, and say I am going to Aberdeen even if I am just going to the local shops . Petty I know but it makes me feel better
These surveys are used to gather information on travel patterns. It could be to improve journeys from A to B, it could be for road improvements, it could be for a multitude of reasons. I have carried out loads in my time, to build traffic models. Not one of those traffic models (not one) has been used to examine congestion charging, traffic calming or any of that stuff. All of the information, without exception, has been used to consider the need for future road proposals to make travel by road easier. Yes, easier journeys by car.
That is not to say that they are all the same - I do not know what this one might be used for - but in 99% of cases it is for traffic model building, calibration and validation.
The surveyors cannot stop vehicles - only a policeman in uniform can do that. If you are asked to stop you MUST do so. You do not have to answer ANY of the questions.
You are quite at liberty to argue about it - the people interviewing you will not be allowed to answer - partly because they are told not to and partly because they probably don't know what the information will be used for either. You can ask to speak to the supervisor, and argue the toss with him if you like. That will take you longer than just answering the questions. After a minute or so the police officer may decide that you are causing an obstruction and move you on.
If you don't want to answer the questions. don't. If you want to screw up the survey by giving stupid answers, then do. It's not the surveyor's or the police officer's journey to work that you might be messing up in the future.
That is not to say that they are all the same - I do not know what this one might be used for - but in 99% of cases it is for traffic model building, calibration and validation.
The surveyors cannot stop vehicles - only a policeman in uniform can do that. If you are asked to stop you MUST do so. You do not have to answer ANY of the questions.
You are quite at liberty to argue about it - the people interviewing you will not be allowed to answer - partly because they are told not to and partly because they probably don't know what the information will be used for either. You can ask to speak to the supervisor, and argue the toss with him if you like. That will take you longer than just answering the questions. After a minute or so the police officer may decide that you are causing an obstruction and move you on.
If you don't want to answer the questions. don't. If you want to screw up the survey by giving stupid answers, then do. It's not the surveyor's or the police officer's journey to work that you might be messing up in the future.
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