Transport Survey, Equality Screening | Causeway Coast & Glens Borough Council

S75 Equality And Good Relations Screening Form

This is a new project.

Operational Area: Community Planning, Corporate Services

Title: Transport Survey

Brief Summary:

To develop and make available a Transport Survey to those who reside within the postcode catchment of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council area.

What is it trying to achieve? (intended aims and outcomes)

The Causeway Coast and Glens Community Planning Strategic Partnership wants to develop a better understanding of how people travel throughout the Borough, the transport options they currently use, and the challenges they experience when accessing work, education, healthcare, essential services, and social activities.

Through this survey, the Partnership aims to gather the views and experiences of residents from across the Causeway Coast and Glens area, with particular attention to those living in rural communities and individuals who may face additional barriers to travel. This includes older people, people with disabilities, carers, young people, and those on lower incomes.

The information collected will help identify gaps in existing transport provision, understand the impact of transport-related issues on daily life, and explore opportunities to make transport services more accessible, reliable, affordable, and inclusive. The findings will provide valuable evidence to support future transport planning, inform decision-making, and help ensure that transport services better meet the needs of residents and communities across the Borough.

Who owns and who implements each element of the function, service, policy, procedure, project, strategy, plan or guidance?

This survey project forms part of the evidence-gathering process to obtain up-to-date information and data on the transport issues and challenges experienced by residents across the Causeway Coast and Glens area.
The survey is being undertaken on behalf of the Causeway Coast and Glens Community Planning Strategic Partnership. The findings will provide valuable evidence to inform the work of all Community Planning partners, including:

Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council
Northern Ireland Housing Executive
Invest Northern Ireland
Public Health Agency
Sport Northern Ireland
Police Service of Northern Ireland
Northern Health and Social Care Trust
Tourism Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service
Western Health and Social Care Trust
Education Authority
Council for Catholic Maintained Schools
Libraries Northern Ireland
Department for Communities

The information gathered will help partners better understand local transport needs, identify barriers to accessing services and opportunities, and support evidence-based decision-making. Any actions arising from the survey findings will be considered and progressed through the Causeway Coast and Glens Community Planning Partnership and its Delivery Plan process, ensuring a coordinated approach to addressing identified transport challenges across the Borough.

Other policies etc. which have a bearing on this function, service, policy, procedure, project, strategy, plan or guidance?

Other policies etc. which have a bearing on this function, service, policy, procedure, project, strategy, plan or guidance?
The following strategies, publications and reports have informed and have a bearing on the development and delivery of this transport survey project:

Strategies

Causeway Coast and Glens Community Plan – A Better Future Together (2017–2030), which identifies transport, connectivity, accessibility and access to services as key priorities for the Borough.
Causeway Coast and Glens Community Planning Delivery Plan (March 2026), which outlines the actions and commitments of Community Planning partners in addressing local priorities, including transport-related challenges.
Studies, Publications, Statistics and Guidance
Causeway Coast and Glens Transport Working Group Report (February 2021), which provides evidence on transport issues affecting residents across the Borough and highlights barriers relating to accessibility, connectivity, rural isolation and access to services.
Relevant Rural Needs Monitoring Reports, Community Planning evidence, stakeholder engagement findings, and transport-related data and statistics gathered by Community Planning partners.

These documents provide an important evidence base for understanding local transport needs and help ensure that the survey aligns with identified priorities and supports future transport planning and service improvement initiatives across the Causeway Coast and Glens area.

Available Evidence

What evidence/information (both qualitative and quantitative have you gathered to inform this function, service, policy, procedure, project, strategy, plan or guidance? Specify details for relevant Section 75 categories.

Current evidence is dated and relies largely on information gathered from the education, health, Translink and community transport sectors, as documented in the Causeway Coast and Glens Transport Working Group Report (February 2021).

Following a series of Community Planning Thematic Meetings held during 2025, covering Health and Wellbeing, Community and Community Safety, Infrastructure and Environment, and Economy, Education and Tourism, concerns were raised regarding transport provision across the Causeway Coast and Glens area. In particular, issues were highlighted in relation to accessibility and connectivity for rural communities, older people, and individuals with disabilities or additional support needs.

These concerns have identified the need for updated evidence to better understand current transport challenges and inform future planning and service improvements across the Borough.

It is proposed that all Section 75 categories will be considered through a range of questions included within the survey. This will help ensure that the experiences and transport needs of different groups are captured and understood.

The survey will gather information on issues affecting:

Older people, who may be less likely to own or drive a vehicle and may be more dependent on public, community or accessible transport services.
People with disabilities, long-term health conditions, or additional mobility needs who may experience barriers when travelling or accessing transport services.
Individuals who regularly use public transport and whose ability to access employment, education, healthcare, and social activities may be influenced by the availability, reliability, and affordability of services.
Those who rely on community transport services to access essential services, appointments, and community activities.
Individuals who depend on family members, friends, carers, or other support networks for transport due to personal circumstances, mobility limitations, age, or a lack of available transport options.

The survey will also seek to identify whether particular groups experience disproportionate transport barriers and how these barriers affect their ability to access services, participate in community life, and engage in education, employment, and social activities. This information will help ensure that future transport planning and service improvements are informed by the needs of all residents, particularly those who may be more vulnerable to transport disadvantage.

Section 75 Category Details of Evidence/Information:

It is proposed that all Section 75 categories will be considered through a series of targeted questions within the survey to ensure that the transport needs, experiences, and challenges faced by different groups are fully understood. This will help identify whether certain individuals or communities experience greater barriers to accessing transport and the impact this may have on their daily lives.

The survey will seek information from:

Older people, who may be less likely to own or drive a vehicle and may therefore be more dependent on public transport, community transport services, or support from family and friends to access healthcare, shopping, social activities, and other essential services.
People with disabilities, long-term health conditions, and those with additional mobility or accessibility needs, who may experience challenges relating to the availability, accessibility, affordability, or suitability of transport services.
Individuals who regularly use public transport, including buses and trains, to better understand issues relating to service availability, reliability, connectivity, frequency, affordability, and accessibility.
Those who rely on community transport services, particularly in rural areas where public transport options may be limited, to understand the role these services play in enabling access to healthcare, education, employment, and community participation.
Individuals who depend on family members, friends, carers, or other support networks for transport due to age, disability, financial circumstances, or a lack of available transport options.
People living in rural and geographically isolated communities, who may experience longer travel times, limited transport choices, and increased costs when accessing services and opportunities.

The survey will also collect demographic information to help assess whether transport issues are experienced differently across Section 75 groups. This will support a more detailed understanding of transport inequalities and help identify any disproportionate impacts on particular groups.

The survey has been designed to capture information relating to individuals with multi-faceted needs such as multi-identity, availability in different formats (Larger Print) and different languages and to capture specific groups such as the elderly at home and in group settings. This will be specifically targeted and assisted by the Age Friendly Coordinator within Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council to reach the older age group population within the CCGs area.

It has also been developed with a focus on different age groups, cultural identities, and disabilities. and questions relating to mobility issues such as availability of wheelchair storage on public transport.

The findings will contribute to a robust evidence base to inform future transport planning, policy development, and service improvements across the Causeway Coast and Glens area. In particular, they will help ensure that the needs of older people, people with disabilities, carers, rural residents, and other potentially disadvantaged groups are recognised and considered in future decision-making.

The survey is intended to be inclusive and accessible to all residents and will seek to capture the views of people from a broad range of backgrounds and circumstances, including those represented within the Section 75 categories. The information gathered will help identify whether particular groups experience specific transport barriers or disadvantages and will contribute to an evidence base for future planning and decision-making.

Any potential impacts arising from actions, policies, or service improvements developed as a result of the survey findings will be considered separately and assessed as part of future decision-making processes, including equality and rural needs considerations where appropriate.

While the survey itself will not directly deliver services, the information gathered may help inform future service planning, identify opportunities to improve accessibility and connectivity, and support more effective delivery of existing transport and support services. The findings may also assist in signposting individuals and communities to alternative transport options, community-based services, or other forms of support that could help address identified needs.

Ultimately, the survey aims to contribute to a more informed and coordinated approach to addressing transport-related challenges, helping to improve accessibility, reduce social isolation, and enhance quality of life for residents across the Causeway Coast and Glens area.

Religious Beliefs

The 2021 Census outlined:

Religion / religion brought up in

Roman Catholic CC&G: 40.12%
Roman Catholic NI: 45.70%

Protestant & Other Christian (including Christian related) CC&G: 51.17%
Protestant & Other Christian (including Christian related) NI: 43.48%

Other Religions CC&G: 0.78%
Other Religions NI: 1.50%

None/Not stated CC&G: 7.94%
None/Not stated NI: 9.32%

Staff breakdown by Religious Belief / Community Background (Figures as at 16 December 2025)

Religious Belief / Community Background Gender Number of Staff

Roman Catholic Male 144 (19.35%)
Female 135 (18.15%)

Protestant Male 272 (36.56%)
Female 143 (19.22%)

Non-Determined Male 28 (3.76%)
Female 22 (2.96%)

Total: 744

In terms of religion or religion brought up in the 2021 Census indicates that our resident’s religious beliefs are comparable to those in Northern Ireland in that there are 2 predominant groupings ie Roman Catholic and Protestant. However, we also have an increasing number of individuals (7.94%) who do not practice a specific religion or who do not wish to be grouped into a specific religion. In addition, we have a small number of individuals who practice other religions.

At this stage, there is no evidence to suggest that the survey itself will have either a positive or negative impact on any of the Section 75 groups. The purpose of the survey is to gather information and improve understanding of the transport needs, experiences, and challenges faced by residents across the Causeway Coast and Glens area.