M1 Surveys: privacy notice

In line with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), there are certain things that we need to let you, a research participant, know about how your information will be processed. In this privacy notice, we explain the legal basis for data processing, who will have access to your personal data, how your data will be used, stored and deleted, and who you can contact with a query or a complaint.

Who is the data controller and data processor?

National Highways is the data controller for this research project. This means that National Highways is responsible for deciding the purpose and legal basis for processing data from this study.

The National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) and AECOM are data processors for the research. This means NatCen and AECOM will be responsible for processing the data from this study on behalf of National Highways.

NatCen is the largest independent research institute in Britain and conduct research on a range of social issues. AECOM is an independent research consultancy who specialises in transport planning research.

What is the legal basis for processing my data?

For this research the legal basis for processing data is “consent”. This means that we cannot collect and process your data without your permission.

What personal data is being collected and why do you want to process this information?

The research will provide National Highways with a better understanding of drivers’ views and experiences of roads in south and west Yorkshire including on certain sections of the M1 motorway. Findings from the research will be used to inform National Highways’ planning for the future. 

The types of circumstances in which NatCen or AECOM may collect your personal information directly from you include the following:

  • If you consent to be contacted for further research, we will collect your name, email address and telephone in order to do this
  • We will collect demographic information such as age, gender, working status, disability and ethnicity in order to do some demographic analysis and to ensure we are including a range of people. All data will be aggregated and it will not be possible to identify individuals from the data collected. On all questions, you will be given the option to refuse or tick “prefer not to say” if you do not want to answer the question. 
  • Where we need to email out incentives, email addresses will be used to complete that action. Otherwise incentives will be given when the interview is completed face-to-face. An opt out option will be included to opt out of providing these details.

Who will have access to my personal data?

All information collected will be stored in a secure folder by NatCen Social Research and AECOM. Only the AECOM and NatCen research teams, who are working on this study, will have access to this data.  Your personal data will not be shared with National Highways. The only information provided to National Highways will be in aggregated and anonymised form.

If you have been interviewed at your home, you may be re-contacted for quality control purposes.

If you have agreed to be re-contacted about further research, you may be contacted by NatCen or AECOM via telephone or email at a later date about opportunities to participate in further research.

We will not share your contact details with any other third parties. Your personal details will not be held for any longer than is necessary and will be securely deleted once the research has been completed which we expect to be in March 2026.

Do I have to take part?

Taking part in this study is completely voluntary. There is no statutory or contractual requirement to participate or provide any personal details. There will be no consequences if you choose to withdraw your consent to participate.

You are able to withdraw from the research if you wish, before, during or after you have completed the survey, until the data has been processed. If you wish to withdraw from the research, please contact NatCen for free on 0800 652 4572 or by emailing M1surveys@natcen.ac.uk. 

How will my information be used?

The information we collect is used for research purposes only. Survey responses will be anonymised. We will not name anybody in reports of the findings, and it will not be possible to identify anybody who took part in the research.

If you provided contact information and consented to be re-contacted about further research, you may be contacted by NatCen or AECOM by telephone or email at a later date to participate in further research as part of this study. Participation in any future studies is completely voluntary.

How will my information be stored?

AECOM and NatCen will carefully manage your personal data. All the information you provided will be held in strict confidence and held securely, so that only the research teams will have access to your personal data. This data will not be held for any longer than is necessary to complete the research.

Will I have access to my information?

Yes, you are able to request the information that you have provided to us. To do so please contact NatCen for free on 0800 652 4572 or by emailing M1surveys@natcen.ac.uk.

Will I be able to change my mind about participating at a later date?

Yes, you are free to withdraw from the research at any time. Please note that once data is aggregated and analysed, we will not be able to change the overall results by removing individual information. However, you can always request that your personal data be deleted or updated, and we will let you know immediately if this is possible or not.

If you would like to make any request related to your personal data or to withdraw your consent, please contact NatCen for free on 0800 652 4572 or by emailing M1surveys@natcen.ac.uk.

How secure is my data?

NatCen and AECOM both maintain reasonable and appropriate information security policies, processes and procedures to safeguard personal data from loss, misuse, unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, destruction, and other processing.

NatCen is accredited to ISO27001 which is the international standard for information security and our processes are regularly checked by an external auditor. However, no method of transmission over the Internet, or method of electronic storage, is 100% secure. As such, we cannot promise, ensure, or warrant the security of any personal data that you may provide to us.

Both AECOM and NatCen’s information security processes provide for the classification of information and the assignment of protection requirements and information security controls based on the classification of information. The safeguards used to protect personal data is commensurate with the level of risk involved.

Your data protection rights

You have rights with regard to your personal data. These include:

  • The right to request copies of your personal data.
  • The right to ask us to correct any personal data that we hold about you that’s inaccurate or incomplete.
  • The right to ask us to delete personal data that we hold about you.
  • The right to object or restrict how we’re processing your personal data.

Who can I contact with a query or a complaint?

If you have any questions about how your data will be used or the NatCen’s Data Protection Officer at dpo@natcen.ac.uk.

You can also contact AECOM’s privacy team on privacyquestions@aecom.com.  

Under GDPR, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office.

You can contact the Information Commissioner’s Office on 0303 123 1113 or via email https://ico.org.uk/global/contact-us/email/. You can also write to the following address:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow, Cheshire
SK9 5AF.