(17 Nov 2014, 5:30 pm)Andreos1 wrote And we all know the flaws with sampling .

Just as an example, it would generally be accepted that members of this forum have a range of views or opinions. We will have different views with the consultation.
We can put those viewpoints across in a post, in a comment or via a poll on this forum.
However, people such as Michael, Drifter60, Cbma40, Fozz and myself may not be able to share those views with GNE staff on Monday.
Dan would potentially be the only member of the forum who uses Deptford based services, who could get to the session and share his viewpoint and in turn, help shape the services across Sunderland. Those views could be shaped by Bazza and Kuyoyo happen to be in the area for the day - but primarily use the services of another depot. Three people agree with a proposal, influencing it on the day - yet 5 others who are affected and can't get there, have no say.

This is why sampling can be flawed and why a range of methods needs to be used.

I understand completely what you are saying, which is why I said in my previous post that I do agree the survey should have been conducted over a number of different days; however, I don't think it would be irrational to suggest that most people have the same routines every day (at least on week days). At least ten people get on the bus I get to school every morning without fail (different people depending on which service I get), and this applies to the majority of people who are either at work or are still in education. I'm in the minority as I have the ability to travel using the first bus which turns up - others don't (either because their ticket doesn't permit this or they get on the service at part of the route which is not duplicated by another service).

If people can get to Park Lane on Monday at some point between 08:00 and 16:00, the chances are they'd have been likely to do it again the next day and the day after that too. Some people have varying work shifts or varying times when they need to go to school, college, etc. These people will be in the minority. Most of us will know how sampling works, and therefore will know that the views of these people will be accounted for by the majority (ie the people who will be in Park Lane at some point on Monday because they are every single day).

At this early stage when we haven't actually seen it in play, I think that this form of consultation is the best yet. Arriva's recent consultation saw an online questionnaire; even though I'm not from the area, I was able to share my views with the company, similar to your quoted anecdote where Bazza and Kuyoyo had the opportunity to give the company their feedback (although I'd argue that, with a face-to-face consultation, this is less likely to happen). Alas, Arriva's consultations are better than Stagecoach's methods on Teesside, for I do not believe Stagecoach has undertaken a customer consultation for the upcoming service changes on Teesside...