Chapter 12 Appendix C: Non-contact letter
The Non-contact letter is sent to a household which has been sent the advance letter, but has not yet responded.
At the end of this appendix is a PDF of the non-contact letter template that is sent to households.
12.1 Accessible text version
Sorry I missed you!
My name is [space for interviewer to write their name].
I am an interviewer working on the National Travel Survey. Recently a letter was sent to your address inviting you to take part in this study, which is funded by the Department for Transport. I have called on a number of occasions but unfortunately have missed you each time. This year we will be asking around 10,000 adults and children about their travel experiences in order to get an accurate picture of people’s travel and to help plan future transport provision. Your participation on this study is of course voluntary but this study is very important, and I do hope that you will be able take part. If everyone in your household completes the survey you will each receive a shopping voucher to say thank you.
All the information you give will be treated in strict confidence in accordance with the Data Protection Act. If you would like to let me know the best time to call, please call NatCen on 0800 652 4568. When I call back, I will be carrying my identity card with a photograph so you will know who I am.
I look forward to speaking to you soon and will be glad to answer any questions you may have.
Thank you for your time.
NatCen Social Research
35 Northampton Square
London
EC1V 0AX
T 0800 652 4568 (9.30am – 5.30pm, Mon – Fri)
E info@natcen.ac.uk
W www.natcen.ac.uk/nts
Company limited by guarantee in England and Wales Reg No. 4392418
A Charity registered in England and Wales (1091768) and in Scotland (SC038454)
How was I chosen?
We have chosen a random sample of addresses from a public list of all addresses in England, kept by the Post Office. This is to make sure that the survey represents the whole country. The findings will not identify you or your family because your name and address will not be passed to anyone outside the National Centre for Social Research without your permission.
I do not travel very often – why do you want to interview me?
We are interested in your daily experience of travel – however much or little you do, no matter what form of transportation is used. The results are used to look at how travel changes over time, and to make decisions about the future.
We need information from a wide range of people including those both in or out of work, children, young people and the elderly. This means that everybody’s travel habits are captured and represented in the data used for improving transport in England. Everybody is welcome to take part in the survey.
What does the interview involve?
The interview will be conducted by the interviewer in your home. If you are unable to be interviewed in person, or would not like to, your interview can be completed over the phone.
The interview covers a range of transport related topics including your views and experiences. No special knowledge or training is needed.
What kinds of travel are covered by the survey?
We are interested in all the different kinds of journeys that people make, as well as how often they make them. This includes journeys to school or work, shopping trips and journeys for leisure or social purposes. Both local and long-distance travel are covered, as are all forms of transport (such as cars, public transport, cycling and walking).
What is the survey used for?
Data collected from the National Travel Survey is used to build up a picture of how and why different kinds of people travel for reasons of wider public interest. The information is anonymised and used by local and national government, as well as by consultants, academics, pressure groups and charities.
For example, information collected from previous surveys was used to study school children’s travel, monitoring road accidents, predicting future traffic levels and finding out the transport needs of minority groups. Last year around 5,000 helpful households took part.