19: Stated Preference Surveys: An Assessment

Stated preference (SP) techniques have been applied in the field of transport studies for more than twenty years, and in marketing for more than thirty years. Both fields of study were represented by participants in the workshop, who were drawn from five continents²⁸; this provided the opportunity to compare and contrast experiences from different contexts. The workshop reviewed the whole process of SP design and application, and considered whether it would be appropriate to propose standards for the use of SP in transport studies. In the main, it concluded that the types of application are so diverse that there is quite limited scope for setting standards – what would be inappropriate in one context might be the best approach in another – and that principles and guidelines would be more appropriate, supplemented by examples of good practice. Areas of consensus and disagreement were identified, as well as areas requiring further research.