Social research and evaluation
The Social research evaluation team is cross-cutting and covers a wide range of DfT policy areas. The team works with DfT economists, statisticians, operational researchers and scientists.
The teams role includes commissioning, managing and conducting high quality social research and policy evaluation, and advising staff across DfT.
Social research generates data and analysis using the methods of social science such as social surveys, focus groups, in-depth interviews, case studies and innovative methods such as deliberative research. In addition to these methods, policy evaluation also involves cost-benefit analyses, and measures the delivery of policies and initiatives against objectives. This enables DfT to better understand policy impacts and outcomes, and lessons learned can then be applied to improve DfT policies and services in the future.
Information about our research programme, including planned research is available from The Strategy, Economics and Mobility Unit Evidence and Research Strategy.
All of SRE’s work is carried out in adherence to the GSR code. SRE has also implemented measures to ensure compliance with the GSR publications protocol introduced in April 2010. This protocol is intended to ensure transparency and openness of government social research, in part by requiring all final research outputs to be published within 12 weeks of the approval of a final draft report. A full list of SRE research within the scope of the publications protocol ongoing or newly commissioned since this date is presented – see GSR Publications Protocol – publication table
Information on SRE projects are available on the Research database.
Research reports
2011
- Behavioural Insights Toolkit
- Climate change and transport choices: segmentation study final report, 28 July 2011
- Knowledge review of the social and distributional impacts of climate change policy options, 28 July 2011
2010
- Climate change and transport choices: segmentation study interim report, 07 December 2010
- Rail passenger security screening: passenger and stakeholder perceptions, 30 March 2010
- Assessing Social and Distributional Impacts in Transport Scheme Appraisal
- Assessing The Future of Air Transport White Paper as a strategic framework for sustainable development
- Behaviour Change: What Works for Transport? Think Piece project
- Understanding Business Attitudes to Transport
2009
- Assessing Social and Distributional Impacts in Transport
- DfT Citizen’s Panel: Delivering a Sustainable Transport System (Wave 3)
- Exploring public attitudes to climate change and travel choices: deliberative research
- The needs, attitudes and travel behaviours of teleworkers
- The travel needs of low income households: the role of the car: Full report (PDF – 380 KB)
- Understanding airport passenger experience (PDF – 907KB)
2008
- Department for Transport Citizens’ Panel: Motorway Driving (Wave 4) (PDF – 772 KB)
- DfT Citizen’s Panel: Public Attitudes to Transport (PDF – 1228 KB)
- DfT Citizen’s Panel: Towards a Sustainable Transport System (Wave 2)
- Exploring public attitudes to personal carbon dioxide emission information
- Perception of congestion on motorways (PDF – 1792 KB)
- Public acceptability of road pricing
- Public attitudes to Transport: Knowledge review of existing evidence (PDF – 1311 KB)
- Travel behaviour, experiences and aspirations of disabled people
- Understanding public attitudes to new technologies:summary report
2007
- Evidence base review on mobility: Choices and barriers for different social groups
- Understanding the social and distributional impacts of road pricing
- Understanding the travel aspirations, needs and behaviour of young adults
- Understanding the travel needs, behaviour and aspirations of people in later life
2006
- Options for monitoring public attitudes to transport issues
- Research Findings: Attitudes to Transport Security After Jul 05 London Bombings
- A review of public attitudes to climate change and transport: summary report
- An evidence base review of public attitudes to climate change and transport behaviour – Full report (PDF – 2048 KB)
2005
- Feasibility Study on the Ex-Post Evaluation of Trunk Road Schemes
- Review of social research in DfT
- Understanding Community Severance I: Views of Practitioners and Communities (PDF – 510 KB)
- Understanding Community Severance II: Monetisation of Severance impacts (PDF – 160 KB)
2004
- Evidence-Base Review – Attitudes to Road Pricing (DOC – 835KB)
- The Importance of Transport in Business’ Location Decisions
- The Integration of Regional Transport Strategies with Spatial Planning Policies
- Local Strategic Partnerships, Transport & Accessibility Issues Paper
- Public attitudes to road pricing in the UK: a qualitative study (DOC – 568 KB)
- Road User Charging – Pricing Structures (DOC – 261 KB)
- The Role of Transport in City Competitiveness
