TRAFFIC surveys conducted by Swindon Council with partner agencies that have been ongoing for the past three weeks have now come to an end.

Every five years, local authorities are compelled by the Department of Transport to update their records on traffic flow on their roads network.

Council officers have been joined by members of the local policing teams at strategic points around the town to issue motorists with voluntary questionnaires, on subjects including how they park, how many passengers they carry, and details of their usual journeys.

Information has not been issued regarding the locations of the stop points for fear of drivers simply avoiding the area altogether.

After visiting 21 different sites around the borough the survey was completed on Tuesday.

A spokesman for Swindon Council said: “The recent traffic surveys took place because the Department of Transport requires us to have strategic transport information which must be updated every five years.

“We recognise that the surveys can cause delays, but they are necessary because the information is used for evidence for the Local Plan housing allocation, development management, and for bidding for major transport project funding.

“The police are always present as we need to give people a voluntary questionnaire about their journey, and the police are the only organisation that has the legal power to stop drivers.

“We’re often asked why we don’t give advance warning about where the surveys are happening, but if we did that people might change their normal route which affects the accuracy of the results.

“Drivers are asked to give us basic details of the journey they are on when they are stopped, including where they are going from and to, such as work to home, and the purpose, such as leisure or business.

“We also ask them to give other details such as the number of passengers, if any, in the vehicle.

“The surveys started on the 10th of September and were carried out at 21 sites. We’ve now finished as the final survey was carried out on Tuesday this week.”

The stop points have caused aggravation to a section of motorists who have bemoaned the timing of a survey while a number of obstructive roadwoarks are also causing delays.

Motorist Neil Melville said: “This pointless and expensive waste of time has been going on for two weeks now causing disruption for people trying to get to work.

“Once again I found myself being stopped to answer questions that could have quite easily been done via a mail drop or media survey.’’