Larkhall – Milngavie Railway Project Evaluation Study Final Report
15. Appendix C: User & Business Survey Analysis
| Measure | Impact | User Survey[54] & Business Survey Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Retain and attract residents | Strong beneficial ✓✓✓ | User Survey: Of the 29% (n=29) of Larkhall rail users who have moved in the last 5 years, 71% (n=24) stated that improvement in local rail services had influenced their decision to move home. |
| Make area more attractive as a place of employment or leisure | Neutral | User Survey: Few non-residents (n=10) appear to travel to Larkhall by rail for work or leisure on a frequent basis so the impact on the new stations in boosting the area's attractiveness as a place of employment or leisure has been limited. This perhaps reflects the fact that Larkhall is predominantly a residential rather commercial centre and is therefore a trip generator rather than attractor. |
| Increase property values | Moderate Beneficial ✓✓ | User Survey: Nearly half of Larkhall rail users (n=38) believe that the value of their property has gone up as a result of the new stations, as opposed to 5% (n=4) who believe that the value of their property has gone down. |
| Encourage spending by residents | Moderate Beneficial ✓✓ | User Survey: 52% of Larkhall residents (n=41) state that they now spend a greater proportion of their money due to changes in rail services. Of these, the majority (83%, n=34) are doing so in non-local locations; analysis of the survey origin-destination data suggests this is mostly in central Glasgow. An increase in spending locally is more limited. This analysis refers to spending at an individual level rather than the overall level of spending in a particular area e.g. due to more people coming into the area. Larkhall rail users have therefore benefitted by having a greater choice of leisure and shopping locations. Non-local businesses will also have benefitted through increase in trade (although local businesses may have seen some loss). This is an example of an inter-area or 'two-way street' impact in which the rail project has enhanced economic interactions between two areas. |
| Encourage inward investment and land development | Neutral | Business Survey: Only one of the two businesses that had moved into the area since the rail project was completed cited the rail improvements as an factor influencing their decision |
| Measure | Impact | User Survey[55] & Business Survey Evidence |
| Retain and attract residents | Strong beneficial ✓✓✓ | User Survey: Of the 60% (n=9) of Kelvindale rail users who have moved into the area in last 5 years, nearly all (n=8) stated that improvement in local rail services had influenced their decision to move home (although the sample size is small). |
| Make area more attractive as a place of employment or leisure | Neutral | User Survey: As per Larkhall, analysis of non-residents' destinations show almost no trips are made to the Kelvindale area for employment or leisure on a frequent basis (n=2). This perhaps reflects the fact that Kelvindale is predominantly a residential rather commercial centre and is therefore a trip generator rather than attractor. |
| Increase property values | Neutral | User Survey: For those rail users for whom Kelvindale is the nearest station (n=12), just 17% (n=2) believe that the value of their property has gone up as a result of the new station (although none thought it had decreased as a result). |
| Encourage spending by residents | Slight beneficial ✓ | User Survey: No respondents indicated that their spending habits have changed locally. One-third (n=4) however now spend a greater proportion of their income in other non-local places, predominantly in central Glasgow. Again, this analysis refers to spending at an individual level rather than the overall level of spending in a particular area. |
| Encourage inward investment and land development | Neutral | Business Survey: No businesses surveyed had moved into the area since the rail project was completed |