mruk
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During 2003 and 2004, the Scottish Executive, in partnership with the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency ( SEPA), piloted Variable Message Signs ( VMS) at 10 beaches to give the public real time information about bathing water quality, in order to reduce the risks to public health. This project was prompted by the likely revision of the EC Bathing Waters Directive, which will require the public to be informed of poor water quality.
mruk research was commissioned by the Scottish Executive Office of Chief Researcher ( OCR), on behalf of the Water Environment Division, to carry out research to assess the effectiveness of these electronic variable beach messaging signs, as a means of providing information on the quality of bathing water at beaches in Scotland.
Main Findings
- 51% of all the beach users surveyed had noticed the beach messaging signs - encouraging given that respondents did not necessarily pass the signs due to multiple access points found at most beaches
- 89% of respondents thought the signs were very, or quite, easy to understand
- 97% of respondents who had seen the sign found it easy to see and read
- Only 21% of the respondents who had seen the sign thought it influenced their decision about whether to use the water
- The majority (80%) who had seen the sign agreed that it had increased their awareness of water quality issues at the beach they were surveyed on
- 47% of respondents thought that they would be more likely to visit a beach because it had a sign giving water quality information
- There was no strong interest in other types of information that could be provided on the signs, including number of good water quality days this season
- There was limited interest in the SEPA website and phone line to find out about bathing conditions
Background & Objectives
1. The Scottish Executive Office of Chief Researcher commissioned a face-to-face survey with beach users, on behalf of the Water Environment Division, to assess the effectiveness of a pilot trial of variable messaging signs giving information on the quality of bathing water at three beaches in Scotland.
2. Messages on the signs indicate either that "Good water quality is predicted today" or "Bathing not advised - risk of poor water quality today".
3. The overall aim of the research was to assess the effectiveness of these electronic signs as a means of informing beach users about bathing water quality. The study also sought to assess public attitudes to the signs, the messages displayed and bathing water quality issues in general.
Method
3. A quantitative study was undertaken with 1,000 visitors across three beaches (Ayr, Troon and Saltcoats). A short pilot study was undertaken to test the questionnaire. Each interview lasted about 10 minutes and the fieldwork was carried out in August 2004.
Key Findings
Profile of The Sample
4. Most respondents were visiting the beach with their family (67%) or friends (17%). Typically, respondents were visiting the beach in a group of between 2 and 4 people (69%).
5. The age profile of these beach users was younger than that for all Scotland, and contained a higher proportion of children. From the total sample, 56% were female and 44% male. In terms of socio-economic group, the profile of these beach users had more DE and fewer C2 respondents than the Scottish population 1.
Journey to the Beach
6. Respondents were asked whether they were visiting the area or local residents. Over a third (35%) of the respondents were tourists or visitors. Of the total sampled, most respondents had travelled for about an hour or less that day to get to the beach.
Frequency of Visiting the Beach
7. Respondents were asked how often, on average, they had visited the beach they were surveyed on, in the summer months June to September of the previous year. A large proportion of respondents (48%) had visited once every two to three months during the summer. Visiting during the winter months of October to May was a lot less frequent, with 53% never visiting between these months.
Use of the Water at this Beach
8. Of the total sample, 40% were classified as bathers (that is, people who planned to, or had already, used the water that day for swimming, paddling or any other recreational activity).
9. All respondents were subsequently asked whether they, or anyone else who was with them, usually used the water for recreational purposes when visiting the beach they were surveyed on. A significant proportion (44%) of the total sample said that neither themselves, nor anybody else in their party, ever used the water for recreational purposes.
10. Usage of the water at the beach was higher among families (40%), compared with 19% who visited alone, and 26% who visited with friends.
11. Swimming (33%) and paddling (87%) were the most common recreational activities undertaken in the water.
12. Those who did not use the water primarily related this to a lack of interest (47%), or water temperature (27%). Almost a third (31%) mentioned cleanliness or pollution of the water.
Awareness and Impact of the Electronic Sign
13. From the total sample, a third had noticed the sign on the day of the interview and 18% had seen it before.
14. Of the 501 respondents who had seen the sign, 31% planned to use, or had used, the water. Of those who had not seen the sign, 50% planned to use, or had used, the water.
15. Furthermore, 21% of those who had seen the sign, predicting good or poor water quality, thought it had influenced their decision on using the water.
16. All of the respondents were shown a card with the message displayed on the day of interview and asked how easy or difficult it was to understand. The vast majority (89%) thought the sign was very, or quite, easy to understand. Most of those who had seen the real, in-situ sign thought it was very, or quite, easy to see and read (97%). Most of the respondents who had seen the sign, also thought it had increased their awareness of water quality issues at this beach (80%).
Impact of the Sign on Likelihood of Visiting the Beach
17. The respondents were asked whether they would be more or less likely to visit a beach because it had a sign giving water quality information. Almost half (47%) thought that they would be more likely. Prior knowledge of a poor water quality prediction was more likely to promote a change in behaviour (in this case deterring a visit to a beach), than a good prediction.
Provision of Other Information on Signs
18. There was only low level interest in the types of information that could also be placed on the signs, prompted in the research (for example, number of days of good water quality so far this season). However, 11% thought they would definitely use the SEPA telephone line, and a further 30% thought they would possibly use it. There was low awareness (6%) of the SEPA website detailing bathing conditions at Scottish beaches- 12% would definitely use it in the future.
Conclusions
19. Over half of the respondents had seen the variable messaging sign at the beach they visited. Amongst those who had seen the signs, the vast majority thought they were easy to see, read and understand. Eight in ten respondents thought it had increased their awareness of water quality issues at the beach where they were interviewed.
21. Advance knowledge of water quality did affect the likelihood of visiting for the majority (55%) of respondents.
22. These are positive indicators for the effectiveness of electronic signs as a means of informing beach users about bathing water quality.
1 DE includes semi-skilled and unskilled manual workers, unemployed, in receipt of state benefits
C2 includes skilled manual workers
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The report, "Assessing The Effectiveness Of Variable Messaging Signs To Inform Beach Users About Bathing Water Quality", which is summarised in this research finding is available on the Social Research website at: www.scotland.gov.uk/socialresearch.
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