Transport remains top concern for patient hospital choice

Sixty-four percent of patients say that location or transport considerations were the most important factor when choosing a hosital, according to the National Patient Choice Survey from the Department of Health (January, 2007).

Provisional figures from the March 2007 survey are not yet available for this particular question, but significant change in the importance of location and transport is unlikely. These results are encouraging, as policy decisions in areas beyond the realms of transport, can have significant unintended consequences within the transport field. The choice agenda has the potential to undermine key transport policies around sustainable transport, but findings such as these go some way to help put these concerns to rest.

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Traffic congestion has reached crisis point in the US

Traffic congestion has reached crisis point in some places in the US, but not everyone believes that congestion is a major national problem, warranting a federal government response according to a new report by the Congressional Research Service.

As congestion is a largely geographically defined, metropolitan issue, congressional action to date has tended to favour a local response. This approach is predicted to continue, but if congestion were to be escalated and defined as an issue of national significance, it will be a major future policy focus. Signs of this approach are already emerging with the US DOT “National Strategy to Reduce Congestion” which places congestion at the heart of the federal surface transport programme. Congestion charging demonstrations are also ongoing with nine cities being selected by the US DOT as semi-finalists for the ‘Urban Partnerships’ programme, which will be witled down to five in due course.

This report helps remind us of what an International and local issue congestion is and the impact it can have on our daily lives. Steps to tackle congestion are being taken the world over. Promising outcomes are predicted, but only time will tell what results we can expect.

(Source: Cascadia Prospectus)

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98% of drivers claim to be safe drivers

Ninety-eight percent of drivers describe themselves as safe drivers, but a fifth feel unsafe on the countries roads, according to new figures released today by RAC (Motoring Services) from their Annual Report on Motoring.

Fifty-six percent of motorists believe that the roads are less safe than they used to be, a partial explanation for why so many motorists would like to see tougher road safety measures. Measures supported by the survey respondents included;

1. The public naming and shaming of drink drivers (73%)
2. Increasing random breath testing of drivers stopped by the police (71%)
3. Reducing the drink drive limit to 50mg per 100ml of blood (69%)
4. Installing ‘alco-locks’ (67%)
5. Introducing speed cameras that photograph the driver (59%)

The survey clearly demonstrates that safety on the road and general driving standards are of key concern to the motoring public. Almost a third (29%) of drivers thought that they would not pass their test if they were to take it tommorrow, which provides yet another interesting snap shot of current driver attitudes and abilities. Lets hope that our current survey looking at communication on the road network can add some further depth to these interesting findings. 

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