Scottish Government

Bathing Water Use in Scotland

TNS Travel and Tourism
Summary

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Aims and Objectives

In July 2003 TNS Travel and Tourism (formerly NFO WorldGroup) was commissioned to undertake a research exercise to meet the following aim:

'to understand how, when and why the public uses beaches and bathing waters in Scotland and to identify public attitudes towards public information real time sign systems on water quality'.

In addressing this aim, it was intended that the study would contribute to an understanding of the following:

1. The proportion of people that go to a beach and use the water for recreation _ including beaches at both inland and coastal locations, whether formally designated or not;

2. How often people visit these sites and how they use the water, if at all, during their visit;

3. The factors which influence their choice of location and use of the water;

4. Public attitudes towards real time information as a means of managing periods of poor water quality.

Methodology

The research methodology included two elements:

1. A survey among a representative sample of the adult population in Scotland through the TNS Scottish Opinion Survey. Face to face interviews were conducted in the respondents' homes and responses were recorded with Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) software.

2. In addition, a separate 'booster' survey of residents living within areas which were classified as near to beaches or lochshores was conducted. Sixteen interview locations were selected in the following areas: Ayrshire, East Lothian, Fife, Loch Lomond, Loch Ness, North East/Angus and Nairn. The same methodology of in-home interviews with quota targets set on the basis of sex, age group, working status and social class was used.

Fieldwork for the Survey of Bathing Water Use was conducted between 28 August and 2 September 2003. The achieved number of interviews was 1007. The survey of beach communities was conducted between 21 August and 12 September 2003 and 306 interviews were completed.

Beach trips and visits

On several occasions throughout this research, the findings show significant differences between the Scottish population overall and people living in communities near beaches. In terms of visits or trips taken to beaches during the last 12 months, over half of the general population had been to a beach compared to four out of five among residents living near beaches (56% and 80%).

Also, those living near beaches were more likely to have taken a larger number of trips to beaches in the last year than the Scottish population in general. This is also shown in the frequency of visits to beaches in the summer months (April to September) with people living close to a beach more likely to take trips to beaches once a week or more, whereas the Scottish population in general would go once or twice a month or less often. These differences were also evident during the winter months (October to March).

Differences between respondents with children in their household and those without children were also clearly evident. Within the general population, respondents with children in their household were much more likely than people without children in the household to visit Scottish beaches.

From a wide range of questions regarding beach trips in general and the most recent trips to Scottish beaches, three groups of visitors among the Scottish population emerge. Firstly, people with children in their household who more regularly but still quite seasonally take the family out for a couple of hours on the beach. Secondly, younger people without children in their household who take a few seasonal half days out to the beach with a large or small group of friends in the same age group. Thirdly, older people without children in their household who go to beaches more often and more generally across the year.

The most common activities were: walking, family activities or playing with the children, picnics on the beach and dog walking.

Bathing water use

The pattern of entering the water at Scottish beaches during the summer months was quite similar for the Scottish population and those living near beaches, with around a third stating they enter the water occasionally or more often during that time (34% and 32%).

There were significant differences between people with children in their household and those without children regarding how often they would enter the water during trips to beaches in the summer months. Three out of ten of those with children would enter the water on at least some visits (29%), which was a higher proportion compared to the Scottish population without children in their household (12%). Over half of those without children would rarely or never go into the water during a spring or summer beach trip (54%), whilst just over two-fifths stated the same among those with children in their household (44%).

Further confirming the important role children play in trips to Scottish beaches and use of bathing water, a fifth of those without children in their household do not visit beaches during April to September (22%), which is a higher proportion compared to people with children (7%).

Paddling and swimming were the two most common activities related to the use of water. The Scottish population in general were more likely than respondents living near beaches to engage in these activities.

Motivations and influencing factors for visiting beaches

The use of water is also apparent when studying people's motivations to take trips to Scottish beaches. Although water activities are not among the main reasons to visit a beach for many, it is clearly an important part of the beach visit, particularly during the peak months of April to September. A third of the Scottish population stated that one of their reasons for going to the beach was to go paddling, swimming or to take part in other activities in or on the water (33%). This was a similar proportion to those living near beaches (35%).

The main reasons for visiting beaches were social in nature, or as a place to take the family/children, for the enjoyment of being outdoors, something to do in good weather, to go for walks with or without dogs and to enjoy the scenery and views. Another important reason to visit beaches, mentioned as the third main reason, was to get a general feeling of relaxation, peace and quiet and to 'get away from it all'.

Quite naturally, people with children in their household were more likely to visit beaches because it is 'somewhere to take the family/children', compared to people without children in their household. Respondents with children in their household were also more likely to provide the following reasons: 'to go for a picnic', 'to go paddling', 'to look at rocks/rock pools' and 'to go swimming'.

Of particular interest in this study, the two most important factors for those who had visited beaches during the last 12 months were the cleanliness of the beach and the cleanliness of the water. The third most mentioned influencing factor on whether or not to take a beach visit was proximity to home, something that is reflected in the fact that three out of five people with a car in the household had made at least one trip to a Scottish beach over the last year (61%), compared with two out of five of those who did not have a car (42%).

Amongst those who had not visited a beach recently, a fifth stated that they were too busy and a similar proportion had no interest in going to a beach (20% and 18%). A tenth of the respondents said that they preferred other places for outdoor recreation such as forests, hills etc (10%).

A tenth of these respondents indicated that one of the reasons they had not been to a Scottish beach was because of poor quality of beaches and water (pollution and litter) and lack of facilities at or near the beach (10%).

Views on real time information system

The views on the proposed public real time information system were very positive among the respondents in both the surveys, with over half of the respondents stating they saw this type of information as 'very useful' (56%).

The importance of the signs for people with children in their household is evident when looking at the reasons why the information is seen as useful, as the safety of children was mentioned as the second most common reason among residents near beaches and third most common among the Scottish population. Between a fifth and a quarter of respondents would also find the information helpful in deciding whether or not to go into the water or indeed visit a particular beach (20% and 25%).

Those who did not view the information system as useful gave the absence of visits to beaches or lack of interest as their main reason. The limited use of the water and the view that it was a 'waste of money' were other reasons mentioned by a fifth of the Scottish population in general (21%).

Over half of the respondents in both the surveys said that the signs would help in their decision to visit a beach or not (59% and 51%). People with children in their household were more inclined to be guided by this type of information.

Suggestions of alternative ways of disseminating information about water quality included: newspapers, radio, TV, the Internet, Teletext/Ceefax, phone help line, Blue Flags systems, beach patrols and life guards.

Reflecting the positive attitudes towards the usefulness of the proposed information system, half of the respondents in both the surveys supported the route of implementing a network of real time information signs (56% and 50%). Around a tenth of the respondents in both surveys were in favour of increased water charge (9% and 11%). In addition to this, around a fifth of respondents would support both the options (18%). Similar proportions however, did not want either approach to be adopted (17%). The results were very similar for respondents with children in their household and those without children.