transport questions

Given the UK’s dependence on car transport, why should people be concerned about the dominance of private car transport?

There are several reasons for that. Firstly, the car transport is unsustainable if compared with most other modes of transport. Average car is producing from around 160 grams of CO2 per kilometre, if take into account that most of the cars are travelling with one or two people inside, while A city bus on average consumes as much fuel as 15 passenger cars (or 15 one family houses).

Moreover, the high reliance on cars results in the low efficiency of the transport. It is estimated that the British are spending more than 25% when going to work than in France and Netherlands.

How do you encourage people to turn to alternative modes of transport, other than the car?

Firstly, by providing disincentives to use cars. The government to do this can tax fuel, introduce congestion charge. It can also encourage the usage of busses and trains. It can do so by creating programs that which provide an incentive for the usage of busses. Such as subsidising companies to increase the quality of their service.

What do you understand by the phrase ‘integrated transport’?

Is a policy that aims to increase the cooperation between different modes of transport. It is supposed to integrate different types of transport, promote greater integration of transport with the environment - so that our transport choices support a better environment, integration with land use planning – at a national, regional and local level, so that transport and planning work together to support more sustainable travel choices and reduce the need to travel.

Prepare arguments either in favour or against building more roads

In favour Against
More flexible labour It promoted usage of cars, the most unsustainable mode of transport
Cars are the most important means of transport Usage of railway is cheaper and more efficient
Busses – more sustainable form of transport is also promoted and more efficient This is only a short term solution to the problem of conjestion – there is still a lot of people that can potentially buy a car
The externality resulting from the traffic congestion will be reduced



Summarise the difference between the UK and other EU states in terms of transport policy and the alternative modes of travel available for the citizens of those countries.

In the UK there are less cars per personne than in most Western European countries. (437 per 1000 in 2001)
However, the UK occupies a relatively smaller land area, and therefore there are more congested roads. Average British worker spends 46 minutes each day commuting, while in Italy and France this takes ten minutes less.
Although car drivers are safer than the European ones, the pedestrians and cyclist are more likely to die because of car accident.