Confidence in Nottingham Express Transit is continuing to increase according to the results of a new survey conducted by behavioural science experts, Mindfield Research. The survey asked 1,200 people living in and around Nottingham City Centre with 92% of those questioned stating they would recommend Nottingham’s tram network.
Alison Sweeney, Head of Marketing at NET, said: “As a public transport operator it’s key that we understand how people are using our network, what their perceptions are and where improvements can be made. We’re delighted to see that so many people are engaged with NET – and with the rest of the survey’s insight, we can make any necessary adjustments to ensure we continue to offer the service that people need.”
The survey also found that Nottingham’s trams are most popular amongst the 18-34 year old age group and they were most likely to use the network on a weekly basis. The same age group are also most likely to use the app to purchase tickets and also use season and weekly tickets the most.
35-54 year olds are most likely to use park and ride and then use the tram for leisure and travel on a monthly basis.
The report also found that those questioned who used the tram last year were purchasing season tickets 7% more than in 2022. 73% of these responded that the reason for this was that they were now travelling into Nottingham for work.
Interestingly those who purchase a weekly ticket are more likely to say NET have friendly staff. When comparing services, the tram rated higher amongst respondents than the bus in almost all categories, driven by younger, weekly users. This is a switch from last year when the bus was favoured over the tram.
Alison added: “With stops across the city, including each university campus, we’ve always been proud of the accessibility we offer young people and students, and it’s positive to see that they enjoy using our network too. Our limited discounted student season ticket offered during freshers week last year was hugely popular, showing how acts like this can really help our customers.
“During 2023 we launched campaigns such as our zero tolerance stance to fare evasion, to ensure that our trams remain a safe, reliable form of transport so it’s reassuring to see that this is paying off for our customers. Delving deeper into the survey, we also found that there is a general perception that trams are convenient, frequent and speedy, with monthly pass holders most likely to see the trams as good value for money.
“This is brilliant news, and in 2024 we will continue to work with the local community to ensure that we’re the network that they need us to be.”