MILLENNIUM QUESTIONNAIRE RESULTS

SOCIAL SECTION

In the comments section at the end of the millennium questionnaire form, many people stated that they felt Manuden had changed because it had become a commuter village. Certainly, many people do commute, but the questionnaire results show that slightly more people work in Bishops’s Stortford28% than commute to London 27%. Many other people worked, or attended school, or college in the area. Overall, considerably more people work locally than commute to London.

Cambridge 11%Stansted (including airport) 10%Hertford 9.6%

Harlow 8%Saffron Walden 5%Chelmsford 0.6%

Other local areas of work included: (Essex) Basildon, Epping, Great Dunmow, Newport, Thaxted; (Herts.) Broxbourne, Hoddesdon, Pelhams, Welwyn; plus Bedfordshire. In addition to local towns, several people travelled to places as far away as: Birmingham, Bruges (Belgium), France, & Kent, as well as unstated areas ‘abroad.’

Many of the students were based at colleges and universities a considerable distance from Manuden, including: St. Andrews & Dundee (Scotland), Durham, Newcastle, Bath, Bournemouth, and several in Leeds and Manchester.

32% of those who responded were employed, plus 17% who were were self employed. This latter number accounts for the large number of people who claimed their workplace as ‘home’ or Manuden. 11% were employed part-time. 18% were in full-time education, 12% retired, 8% unwaged housewife/husband, and 1.3% sick/disabled.

So how do people get to work? 6% use the bus, and almost all of these are students. As anticipated, a large proportion of villagers drive themselves to work - 55%. 15% take the train, and many of those also drive themselves to the station, although 12% do share a lift with others to the workplace/school. 10% walk, this includes the many who operate in Manuden, 2.4% use a bike or motorbike and 1.2% go by taxi.

Percentages have been taken to the next round figure, except for those recorded to show the margin of difference.

Next month more social information.

Fiona Bengtsen

© The Manuden History Society