Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Print Printable version

TRANSECT SELECTION

7.6

Transect Selection
7.6.1 Surveyors should try to achieve a reasonable geographic ’spread’ of transects across each target ward, rather than concentrating them all in a small area.
7.6.2 Surveyors should select transects that are representative of the range of types of development within the land use being surveyed, firstly within individual target wards, and secondly across the authority.
7.6.3 For example, within Recreation Areas, you should include examples of landscaped and grassed areas, play areas and sports areas where applicable.
7.6.4 For Other Highways, where there is more than one type of Other Highway (e.g. alleyways, laybys, underpasses and bridleways), in a target ward, surveyors should make sure that their NI 195 Survey contains a representative selection of examples of each type.
7.6.5 Within Main and Other Retail and Commercial Areas, survey the front of shops and also back areas, where the refuse is stored, if these are on relevant land (i.e. where they are adopted highways).
7.6.6 For reasons of safety, transects on Rural Roads should be limited to locations where there are footways, or wide, easily walked verges. Safety considerations may also operate on main roads and other situations where there may be risks to surveyors. For information on Health and Safety, contact the person responsible for the Health and Safety Policy in your authority.
7.6.7 Can Transects Be ‘Pre-Selected’ To Be Representative?
Transects must not be pre-selected as being representative, prior to a NI 195 Survey being carried out. This would alllow the possibility of the transects being targeted by cleansing operations, thereby distorting the survey results.

7.7

Mixed Land Uses
7.7.1 As a general rule, avoid selecting transects where there is more than one land use class present. Where surveyors judge that it is appropriate to survey such a transect, it should be assigned to what is perceived to be the dominant land-use in the area.
7.7.2 Only one land-use should ever be recorded on the survey form for a transect.

7.8

How Should Transects be Surveyed?
7.8.1 While you are planning for the survey, before you are out on site, make sure that you know how far 50 metres is. The easiest way to do this is to measure 50 metres and count how many of your steps you need to take to travel this distance at your normal pace of walking.
7.8.2 Whilst walking the transect, look for litter and detritus. At the end of the transect, you should give both litter and detritus a grade (A-D). For descriptions of the grades, see section on Litter Grading and Detritus Grading. Make sure that you consider litter that may be trapped in weeds or behind telephone or utilities boxes.
7.8.3 Grading assessments should always be done on foot. This should never be completed from a vehicle, whether stationary or moving.

7.9

Walking the Transect
7.9.1 For street sites, walk the whole of one side of the transect, checking all parts of the section – the backline (boundaries), footway (pavement), channel (gutter) and carriageway (road), and any verge or landscaped element. Cross to the other side of the transect, return to starting point and repeat above process.
7.9.2 Once you have walked the transect, grade the street for litter and detritus using the Grading system from A to Grade D.
7.9.3 Using your map, locate your transect start point, and on your survey form, prior to walking the transects fill in all necessary details including:
  • Land-use Class
  • Date
  • Surveyors details
  • Time
  • Ward
  • Transect location (e.g. street name, road number, or from junction of X to house number Y).

Fig 7.9.1: Diagram of a Typical Way to Walk the Transect

7.9.1

7.10

Safety Considerations
7.10.1 For street sites where there are safety constraints, such as on a dual carriageway, or on a busy main road, where there is no convenient safe crossing, you should survey only one side of the transect. However, make a point of surveying the next transect on the other side of the road, where practicable. This situation should occur on only a minority of transects. The photograph below illustrates a typical area that would be surveyed in this case.
  7.10.1 Note: The transect will take in part of the Highway to the centreline. Please note that the transect should be assessed from the pavement.

7.11

Surveying Other Highways
7.11.1 For alleyways and similar transects within housing and other areas; and for bridleways and similar rights of way, the transect should be surveyed from backline to backline.

7.12

Surveying Recreation Areas
7.12.1 When surveying a larger open space such as a park, surveyors should survey a maximum of 5 sites, and should seek to include a range of types of site e.g. just inside the main entrance; a play area; by a pavilion; along a footpath, etc.
7.12.2 All parts of a transect in Recreation Areas (Public Open Spaces and Watersides) should be surveyed:
7.12.3 Where there are footways, walk along the footway, examining:
  • the surface of the footway, and
  • the land for 2 metres on either side of the footway (usually grassed, sometimes landscaped or hard surfaced) – see adjacent photo.
7.12.3
Click here to enlarge
7.12.4

For play areas or other specialist activity areas, inspect all parts of the transect area chosen. The photograph below illustrates an example of a specialist activity area.

7.12.4
7.12.5 Litter In Water
Following the provisions of the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005, litter in water should be included in the assessment of litter when surveying the edge of a lake or pond.
7.12.6 Grading Detritus
Remember that detritus can only be graded on hard surface areas that are metalled or paved (a metalled surface is one that is made of broken stone that is mixed with asphalt to form tarmac).