The travel industry has been particularly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. As public transport returns, Heathrow Express commissioned OnePoll to conduct market research aimed at identifying attitudes towards public transport, how the pandemic has impacted public transport use, and how future travel could be made less stressful.
2,000, 3-minute online surveys were completed by those who use public transport in the UK, with cross breaks for age, gender, and region.
The results were compelling with two thirds admitting to feeling more apprehensive and anxious about using public transport due to the pandemic. 57% are actively avoiding public transport, and 37% say nothing could convince them to use public transport at the moment. These attitudes might be in part due to other passengers not following pandemic related rules, with 3 in 4 stating this as a worry. Despite 95% claiming they would follow these rules themselves.
Public transport users currently feel most comfortable using trains over other methods and consider them the least stressful form of public transport generally. 72% would like to see travel operators do more to make public transport less stressful, with delayed or missing flights, trains and buses, crowds, and people not following Covid-19 rules among the top stressors. 75% would benefit from measures which make travelling less stressful, with more quiet carriages, reserved seats, and complimentary refreshments and snacks the top measures helping passengers to feel less stressed.
Underpinned by OnePoll research, the ‘Tranquil train’ concept was created to give passengers 15 minutes of calm when travelling on Heathrow Express. Passengers were taken through a guided yoga session by a top instructor onboard. The carriage was decorated with a scented floral display, and travellers were given goody bags for their onward journey.
OnePoll worked alongside sister agency 72Point to secure extensive national media coverage for Heathrow Express, appearing in 208 different publications including 49 top tier titles. Coverage included 7 national consumer titles such as The Times and The Daily Mail, as well as extensive US coverage including the New York Post.