Appendix A2 - Business survey
General
Q1.1 What is the name of your business / organisation? Interviewer please check organisation name from database and confirm with respondent.
Q1.2 What is your role in the business / organisation?
Q1.3 What is the postcode for your main operation in the Scottish Borders / East Lothian? Please tell me the first part, and then the first digit in the second part of your business postcode. An example would be TD10 6.
Q1.4 How long has your business / organisation been operating at this location? Please select one only.
Less than 1 year
1 to 2 years
3 to 5 years
6 to 10 years
More than 10 years
Don’t know
Q1.5 Which of the following best describes your business / organisation’s situation with respect to this current location? Please select one only.
Relocated from elsewhere
This location was opened up as part of a business expansion
The business was first established at this site
Q1.6 Where did you relocate from?
Q1.7 When did you relocate?
Q1.8 What is the primary activity of your business / organisation? Please select one only.
Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing
Mining and quarrying
Manufacturing
Electricity, Gas, Steam and air conditioning
Water supply, sewerage, waste management and remediation activities Construction
Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles Transport and storage
Accommodation and food service activities
Information and communication
Financial and insurance activities
Real estate activities
Professional, scientific and technical activities
Administrative and support service activities
Public administration and defence; compulsory social security
Education
Human health and social work activities
Arts, entertainment and recreation
Tourism
Other (please specify below)
Business Conditions
The next few questions are intended only for organisations that trade in some way, such as commercial organisations or social enterprises, and not to organisations such as public sector bodies. Can you confirm that you trade in some way (are a commercial organisation or social enterprise)?
Yes
No
Q2.1 In terms of your outputs, which geographical markets do you currently serve from this location? Please provide an approximate percentage by geographical market with answers summing to 100%.
Scottish Borders _____ %
East Lothian _____ %
Midlothian _____ %
Edinburgh _____ %
West Lothian _____ %
Other Scotland _____ %
North of England _____ %
Other UK _____ %
Overseas _____ %
Don’t know
Q2.2 Where are your main competitors currently located? Please provide an approximate percentage for each location.
Scottish Borders _____ %
East Lothian _____ %
Midlothian _____ %
Edinburgh _____ %
West Lothian _____ %
Other Scotland _____ %
North of England _____ %
Other UK _____ %
Overseas _____ %
Don’t know
Q2.3 Where are your suppliers currently located? Please provide an approximate percentage for each location.
Scottish Borders _____ %
East Lothian _____ %
Midlothian _____ %
Edinburgh _____ %
West Lothian _____ %
Other Scotland _____ %
North of England _____ %
Other UK _____ %
Overseas _____ %
Don’t know
Q2.4 How would you describe the current trading conditions for your business / organisation (if you have multiple sites, please answer for your location in the Scottish Borders / East Lothian)?
Very Good
Good
Neither Good nor Poor
Poor
Very Poor
Q2.5 Which of the following factors have had an influence on your answer to the previous question? Please select all that apply.
Access to bank finance
Availability of labour
Brexit
Changing market trends
Government regulations
Impact of COVID 19 pandemic
Market competition
Marketing of the area
Perception of remoteness
Public transport connections – rail
Public transport connections - bus
Road network connections
Other (please say what below)
Q2.6 What was your approximate annual sales turnover in the last financial year at your location in Scottish Borders / East Lothian? Please select one only.
Less than £50,000
£50,000 to £99,000
£100,000 to £249,000
£250,000 to £499,000
£500,000 to £999,000
£1,000,000 to £5,000,000
Over £5,000,000 (please say how much below)
Don’t know
Prefer not to say
Q2.7 What has happened to the sales turnover of your Scottish Borders / East Lothian operation over the past year? Please select one only.
Increased significantly (more than 10% increase)
Increased slightly (up to 10% increase)
No change
Decreased slightly (up to 10% decrease)
Decreased significantly (more than 10% decrease)
Don’t know
Prefer not to say
Q2.8 I am going to read out a number of potential advantages and disadvantages for businesses / organisations operating in your area. Please indicate whether you consider your current location offers you a competitive advantage, a competitive disadvantage or neither, relative to your competition.
[Advantage
Disadvantage
Neither]
Good road links to the site
Good rail links to the site
Good public transport links generally to the site
Q2.9 Do you have any plans to move from, expand or scale down your current site in the Scottish Borders / East Lothian?
Yes, plan to move from site
Yes, plan to expand site
Yes, plan to scale down site
No
Q2.10 Where are you planning to relocate to (please give a town, settlement or city name, or a specific business / organisation location if you prefer)?
Q2.11 How easy or otherwise is it for you to recruit suitable staff?
Very Easy
Easy
Fair
Difficult
Very Difficult
Your Employees and their Travel
Q3.1 How many people does the business / organisation employ at your Scottish Borders / East Lothian location, expressed as full-time equivalents (FTE), including part-time and seasonal staff?
Please count part-time and seasonal workers as fractions of a full-time employee. For example, 2 half-time employees would equal 1 FTE; 1 full-time seasonal employee working for 6 months of the year would equal 0.5 FTE.
1
2 to 5
6 to 10
11 to 25
26 to 50
51 to 250
More than 250 (please say how many below)
Q3.2 Approximately what proportion of your employees work fully from your Scottish Borders / East Lothian location (as opposed to working from home or remotely, some or all of the time)?
None (0%)
Up to 25%
Between 26% and 50%
Between 51% and 75%
More than 75%
All employees (100%)
Q3.3 Approximately what proportion of your employees work on a hybrid basis (meaning that they sometimes work from home or remotely, and sometimes work from your Scottish Borders / East Lothian location)?
None (0%)
Up to 25%
Between 26% and 50%
Between 51% and 75%
More than 75%
All employees (100%)
Q3.4 To the best of your knowledge, approximately what % of your employees use the following methods as their main method of travel to get to and from your Scottish borders / East Lothian location? Please ensure the figures provided sum to 100%.
Car or other motor vehicle (such as a van) _____ %
Rail _____ %
Walk / Wheel _____ %
Bus _____ %
Motorcycle _____ %
Cycle _____ %
Other (please specify below) _____ %
Don’t know
Q3.5 Do any of your employees travel from your Scottish Borders / East Lothian location to other places in the course of their work (for example, to meetings or to make deliveries)?
Yes
No
Q3.6 Do your staff typically travel to and from any of the following locations in the course of their work? Please select all that apply.
Scottish Borders
East Lothian
Midlothian
Edinburgh
West Lothian
Other Scotland
North of England
Other UK
Overseas
Q3.7 On average, how often would you say that those employees who travel to and from the following areas in the course of their work make such journeys?
[Less than once a month
1 to 5 times a month
6 to 10 times a month
11 to 20 times a month
Over 20 times a month
Don’t know]
Scottish Borders
East Lothian
Midlothian
Edinburgh
West Lothian
Other Scotland
North of England
Other UK
Overseas
Q3.8 To the best of your knowledge, approximately what % of these journeys to other places in the course of their work are made by each of the following methods?
Car or other motor vehicle (such as a van) _____ %
Rail _____ %
Walk / Wheel _____ %
Bus _____ %
Motorcycle _____ %
Cycle _____ %
Other (please specify below) _____ %
Don’t know
Reston Rail Station
Q4.1 Is Reston the closest rail station to your business?
Yes
No (please provide name of nearest station below)
Not sure
Q4.2 Did the planning / opening of Reston Rail Station have any influence on your business / organisation's location? Please select one only.
Yes, this was the main factor in locating the business / organisation here Yes, this was one of a number of important factors in locating the business / organisation here
Yes, this was a fairly minor factor in locating the business / organisation here
No, this was not a factor in locating the business / organisation here
Don’t know
Q4.3 What impact, if any, has the opening of Reston Rail Station had on the following in relation to your employees’ use of rail for work-related travel? Please select one only.
Increased significantly (more than 10% increase)
Increased slightly (up to 10% increase)
No change
Decreased slightly (up to 10% decrease)
Decreased significantly (more than 10% decrease)
Don’t know
Q4.4 Which of the following changes to your business / organisation's operations have taken place as a result of the opening of Reston Rail Station?
[Yes
No
Don't Know / Not Relevant]
A change in the type of customers for your business / organisation (for example, commuters, tourists, residents)
A change to the opening hours of your business / organisation
A change in the timing or pattern of your trade related to train arrivals / departures
Regarding a change in the type of customers for your business, can you give me brief details of this?
Regarding a change to the opening hours of your business, can you give me brief details of this?
Regarding a change in the timing or pattern of your trade related to train arrivals / departures, can you give me brief details of this?
Q4.5 Thinking about the impact that the opening of Reston Rail Station may or may not have had on your business / organisation, please say to what extent you agree or disagree with the following statements. Please select one option in each row.
[Strongly Agree
Agree
Neither Agree nor Disagree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Don't Know / Can't Say]
The new Reston Rail Station has enabled more reliable travel times for our employees
The new Reston Rail Station makes it easier for us to recruit staff
The new Reston Rail Station allows us to recruit better skilled staff
The new Reston Rail Station has allowed us to expand our customer base The new Reston Rail Station has allowed us to use suppliers from different areas The new Reston Rail Station means we rely less on local customers We supply our products / services to a wider area due to the new Reston Rail Station
The new Reston Rail Station has enabled our local business to expand We have had to take on more staff since the new Reston Rail Station opened
Q4.6 How, if at all, has the level of investment in your business / organisation changed due to the opening of Reston Rail Station?
This could include capital investment or investment in people with the aim of growing or developing the business / organisation.
Increased significantly
Increased slightly
No change
Decreased slightly
Decreased significantly
Q4.7 Please provide an estimate of the actual impact of the opening of Reston Rail Station in terms of turnover. Please select one only.
High positive impact (more than 10% increase)
Medium positive impact (6% to 10% increase)
Low positive impact (1% to 5% increase)
No Impact
Low negative impact (1% to 5% decrease)
Medium negative impact (6% to 10% decrease)
High negative impact (more than 10% decrease)
Don’t know / not relevant
Q4.8 Please provide an estimate of the actual impact of the opening of Reston Rail Station in terms of customer base. Please select one only.
High positive impact (more than 10% increase)
Medium positive impact (6% to 10% increase)
Low positive impact (1% to 5% increase)
No Impact
Low negative impact (1% to 5% decrease)
Medium negative impact (6% to 10% decrease)
High negative impact (more than 10% decrease)
Don’t know / not relevant
Q4.9 Please provide an estimate of the actual impact of the opening of Reston Rail Station in terms of employment levels at your current site. Please select one only.
High positive impact (more than 10% increase)
Medium positive impact (6% to 10% increase)
Low positive impact (1% to 5% increase)
No Impact
Low negative impact (1% to 5% decrease)
Medium negative impact (6% to 10% decrease)
High negative impact (more than 10% decrease)
Don’t know / not relevant
Q4.10 What impact, if any, has the opening of Reston Rail Station had on your business / organisation? Please select one only.
Very positive impact
Fairly positive impact
No impact
Fairly negative impact
Very negative impact