As the independent watchdog, Transport Focus works to help those who make decisions about transport understand how things might be improved for transport users, and what transport users really think.

To find this out Transport Focus regularly carries out research among those using different forms of transport or making particular journeys. It also has a panel of transport users across the country who are often asked to give their views about specific issues.

Panel surveys enable Transport Focus to get a quick sense of events happening ‘in the moment’ and are sometimes used to support findings collected through larger and more complex research projects. For example, research using the panel has, in the past, helped to inform those managing upgrade work at stations on how to keep passengers informed, and made clear the impact of strike action on passengers for example.

Explore the research previously completed with the panel further down the page, or click here to see all recent publications.

What is the panel?

The Transport User Panel is a group of transport users who have told Transport Focus that they are happy to complete surveys for us. We use the information that we collect in these surveys to tell transport operators what they should do to improve people’s experience of making journeys.

How did you get my email address?

If you have received any email communication referring to the Transport User Panel it is likely that you gave us your email address either after receiving a postal mailing inviting you to join our panel or after completing a questionnaire for us.

At the end of many of our surveys we provide a link which directs you to our website where you can register to join our panel. You are also able join the Transport User Panel by following this link.

What happens after I give you my email address?

When you click on the link to join our panel you are directed to a short survey which collects some information about you and the journeys that you make. It also asks for your consent for us to hold and process this information.

The information that you give is used by us to ensure that we do not send you surveys in the future which would have no relevance to you personally. Other personal details, such as age, gender, and ethnicity are kept so that it’s possible to compare aggregated responses for different groups of transport users. You are always free to choose whether or not you give us this information.

The information you provide is stored securely and processed in accordance to current data protection regulations. It is only used for our Transport Focus research purposes and never passed to any third party. More details about this are contained in our privacy policy.

For how long do you keep my details and what if I change my mind?

Periodically Transport Focus will check with you that you are still happy for us to keep your email address and other information as described above. Your response at this time will determine what is done with the information that you have given previously.

You can be taken off our database at any time by following an ‘unsubscribe’ link which is at the bottom of all the emails sent to you. You can also reply directly to any email that we send to you and request for your details to be removed from our database. If you do this we will email you in return to confirm that this has been done.

If you have any further questions about our panel please email: panelhelpdesk@transportfocus.org.uk.