Pollsters were ‘misleading’ in testing local opinions over Fulham car bans, says finding

By Ben Lynch, Local Democracy Reporter

A survey conducted ahead of the permanent introduction of a low traffic scheme has been found to have breached four industry rules.

Hammersmith and Fulham council launched the South West Fulham Clean Air Neighbourhood (CAN) on a trial basis in December 2022, before making it permanent last March. The council says it has cut carbon emissions by 1.9 tonnes a day.

The CAN involves the use of cameras to prevent out-of-borough drivers rat-running on side streets, in a bid to improve local air pollution and cut congestion.

Research agency Opinium surveyed residents for the council ahead of the CAN’s permanent implementation. It recorded that, from 536 residents interviewed, 59 per cent ‘either strongly supported or supported the general principle of reducing the amount of out-of-borough traffic using neighbourhood streets as cut-throughs’.

In a later online consultation involving 1,989 respondents, the percentage in-favour was even higher, at 65 per cent.

David Tarsh, a resident of the borough who has previously spoken against the CAN’s introduction, complained to the Market Research Society (MRS) about the survey, claiming it broke the industry code of conduct.

The MRS found Opinium breached four industry rules, namely that it did not take reasonable action to ensure participants ‘were not led towards a particular point of view’; did not provide participants with the required information to enable them to give their permission to take part in a data collection exercise; didn’t explain the purpose of the data collection; and did not ensure they were not misled when being asked to participate.

The MRS finding concludes by noting Opinium ‘fully co-operated’ with the investigation. No further action was required. Mr Tarsh claimed the conception and implementation of the CAN had been a ‘disgrace from the outset’.

“Elected and employed officials alike should be ashamed of themselves for creating something so divisive and discriminatory; and for their refusal to engage properly with residents,” he said.

James Endersby, chief executive of Opinium, said: “We support the Market Research Society’s review process. We were pleased to see its conclusion that no corrective steps were necessary, but we had already reviewed this study many months ago and put in place additional layers of quality checking in our ongoing commitment to high standards.”

A spokesman for Hammersmith and Fulham council said: “We are familiar with the campaign by a prominent motor industry lobbyist, who doesn’t even live in the area, to frustrate the wishes of South Fulham residents. But the overwhelming majority of residents have made their position clear.

“They asked us to reduce congestion and pollution in their neighbourhood and we have delivered with cleaner, safer and quieter streets.”

Pictured top: The Clean Air Neighbourhood trial west of Wandsworth Bridge was implemented in February 2023. (Picture: Facundo Arrizabalaga)