Transport and Industry – the essentials!
As you can see from the Department for Transport
and Industry graph, the vast majority of people
use the car/van/taxi to get about (85% of all
T
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A
N
S
P
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R
T
journeys).
Railway journeys have also increased significantly
recently (doubling in the last 15 years).
Transport routes are vital for settlement growth
and the economy as a whole.
The quality of life is affected by increased use of
transport.
Currentl y there is 213,759 miles of roads in Bri tain wi th 32 million ca rs using these roads .
Impacts:Pollution – road transport a ccounts for 22% of all CO2 emissions in Bri tain (clima te change contributor); noise from tra ffi c affects
30% people in UK.
Losing the countryside – 2% of Bri tain’s land covered by roads .
£710 million from 2015 spent on new roads .
Congestion – new roads ma ke journeys qui cker in short term but more people encouraged to dri ve more often and a t grea ter
dis tances from work (conges tion increases in long term); conges tion causes delays in work/home journeys and deli very of goods
whi ch cos ts the economy £4.3 BILLION per yea r!
Mode of transport
Advantages
Disadvantages
Car/road
Convenient
Short journey time unless in congestion
Bus/road
Less carbon monoxide released per person than car
Can use bus lanes
Cheaper than using the car
Can carry heavy freight a long distance and cheaply
Quick
Safer than road and rail
Good for transporting light, valuable freight long
distances e.g. I phones
CO2 released
Costly
Danger to self and others
Noise
Destruction of environment to create roads
Cannot go at exact time of choice
Can suffer from congestion
Boat/sea
Plane/air
Bicycle
Lorry/road
Rail
Healthy
Cheap
Most efficient for carrying freight short distances to
specific points (most freight is transported this way UK)
Can carry freight medium to long distances reasonably
cheaply
Cheaper than the car for most commuters
Takes longer than air travel
Expensive for people and freight
CO2 released
Noisy for people who live in flight path
Have to use another mode of transport to get to airport
and destination
Danger but reduced by use of cycle lanes
Cannot carry freight
CO2 released
Noisy
Can be expensive for passengers on certain routes (in and
out of London)
Have to use another mode of transport to get to exact
destination
Destruction of natural habitats to create rail tracks
Noise
Vibrations of trains can disturb foundations of buildings
The HS2 rail proposal – an investment for the future or a waste of money?
The government proposes to build a high speed rail link between London and Birmingham and
beyond (following the success of HS1 linking London with the Channel Tunnel).
There are two clear phases to this project:Phase 1 of the line is between London and Birmingham, with
construction planned to begin in 2017 and be completed by 2026.
Phase 2 ex tends high speed rail travel to other economic centres in
the north of Britain, and is projected to be completed by 2032.
At a cost of £42 Billion it is not cheap; damage to the environment
will be considerable - so it is no surprise that there is a good deal of
opposition to the proposals. However, there are two sides to this
debate and both sides have compelling arguments.
Opposing HS2
Other possible solutions exist, such as increasing
the length of trains on existing routes.
Some argue that only particular groups of people
will directly benefit from HS2, namely
commuters who travel between major cities.
With ever increasing numbers of workers now
working from home using the internet to
communicate with colleagues and clients, those
in opposition of HS2 question the true benefit of
improved speed of train journeys.
Loss of open countryside and wildlife habitat, as
the new line cuts through environmentally
sensitive areas such as the Chilterns.
Supporting HS2
The road network is congested and nearing its
capacity. Providing high speed rail will reduce
traffic congestion in our city centres as more
people will be attracted to taking the faster train
services.
Many badly needed jobs will be created, not only
in the building of HS2 but also in its operation.
Trains have a better safety record than the
roads. Recent passenger death rates by car were
1.9 per billion km and by train were 0.3 per
billion km.
The cost of construction will be spread out over
15-20 years; therefore we can afford it.
The government recognises the high costs and damage to the environment but consider the scheme
is worth it in the long term – jobs and future wealth creation are considered a priority.
INDUSTRY
The jobs that people do can be categorised into the following four sectors:PRIMARY
SECONDARY
TERTIARY
QUATERNARY
Farming
car factory
shop work
biotech technicians
Fishing
clothes factory
doctors/nurses
systems analysts
Quarrying
building
teachers
researching products
Mining
oil refinery
museum
You need to know how to identify Primary, Secondary and Tertiary activities from the OS map
extract that comes with the CE paper:-
Mill Fm = Primary Activity
Hillington Industrial Estate = Secondary activity
National Gallery, Information Centre, Police station = Tertiary
activity
You also need to be able to link the level of economic development (simply, how rich a country
is)and the percentage of population working in each of the above sectors:Generally, the poorer the country is (LEDC) the
higher the %age of people working in PRIMARY
employment (mainly farming and fishing). The
richer a country becomes (MEDC), the higher
the %age of people working in TERTIARY
activity (shops, museums, schools, hospitals,
councils etc.). Some countries, like Brazil lie
somewhere in the middle with growing
SECONDARY and TERTIARY sectors.
LEDC
NIC
MEDC
• High primary (farming)
• Strong manufacturing sector
• Farming mechanised
• Little mechanisation on farms
• Many transnationals move to NICs to
take advantage of cheap labour and
land
• Automation of manufacturing or
transfer of manufacturing to NICs
• Little manufacturing
• Very strong tertiary sector with large
numbers employed in health,
education and tourism
• In early stages of economic
development
• Growth of jobs in the know ledge
economy based on the processing of
know ledge and information using
telecommunications
• Informal service sector in the cities is
quite strong
How do employment patterns change over time?
Prim ary: decreases
• Mechanisation of farms reduces
need for farm workers. Rural workers
migrate to the urban areas
• Raw materials become exhausted
leading to loss of mining jobs
• Rural depopulation of farmers in
MEDCs. Workers prefer the better
paid and less physically demanding
jobs in the tertiary sector
Secondary: increases at first, then
decreases
• Industrialisation initially requires a
large secondary workforce
• Factory jobs eventually replaced by
automation
• Manufacturing industries
increasingly move from MEDCs to
NICs w here land and labour are
cheaper
Tertiary: increases
• Large and growing informal service
sector in urban areas of LEDCs as
workers migrate from the countryside
• As a country develops, demand
grows for services such as health,
education and tourism
• Strong growth in MEDCs of jobs in
the know ledge economy based on
the processing of know ledge and
information using telecommunications
• Increase in producer services for
manufacturing industry, e.g. market
research
Transnational corporations (TNCs) in LEDCs
A transnational company (TNC) is a global company in that it operates across national boundaries.
They are attracted to the large pool of labour, low wages, taxes and fewer restrictions of LEDCs.
A transnational company has factories and offices in several countries. Therefore it is a global
company in that it operates across nation al boundaries.
The headquarters of a transnational company is usually in an MEDC with branch factories worldwide.
Trans national companies have the power to choos e where to locate their factories. They are attracted
to LEDCs due to the large pool of labour, low wages and taxes and fewer restrictions.
TNCs bring economic, social and environmental advantages and disadvantages to the host countries.
Reasons for Industrial Change
LEDC’s have begun to play a dominant part in world mark ets due to good access to raw materials
and the ability to charge less for products.
People in LEDC’s are willing to work for less money so industries are able to charge less for their
products. Large multinational companies, many from MEDCs, have now begun to locate their
industries in LE DC’s for the same reasons as above and this has ensured that the gap bet ween
MEDC’s and LE DC’s in terms of development has remained consistent.
Nike – a case study of a multinational company
operating in both developed and developing
countries.
What is Nike? Nike is a huge global company with offices and factories in many parts of the
world. Nike’s Headquarters is in Oregon, Texas. Most of its factories are in poorer LEDC
countries such as Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and the rapidly developing China. Find out
where these places are on a world map.
Section B Examination questions on Economic Geography tend to start by asking you to
locate the various countries your case study industry (i.e. Nike and Clothing) has interests.
You may also be asked to explain the geographical distribution of your chosen industry:Reasons for locating in MEDCs (More
Economically De veloped Countries)

Headquarters in Texas – most employees are
highly skilled and well paid (Marketing and
Ad vertising in particular)

Most of Nike’s shops are located in MEDCs
where most customers are based.
Reasons for locating in LEDCs (Less Economically
Developed Countries)

Land for large factories is cheaper to buy in
LEDCs.

Workforce is much cheaper.

Workforce is more flexible – willing to work
longer hours and unions are weak.

Access to new global markets in South East
Asia e.g. China.
Impacts (consequences) of Nike on developed and developing
countries.
Impacts on LEDCs (e.g. Indonesia)
Negative :Many workers endure poor working conditions – lack of
breaks, sacking with no explanation etc.
Can influence the ‘host’ country’s government
decisions
Pays low wages e.g. £4 for a 12 hour day
Can slow down the LEDC developing its own industry
Some sweat shops develop (factories where workers
are crowded or confined or are compelled to work
unreasonable hours for low pa-y)
Can cause environmental damage and pollution (some
companies locate in LEDCs to avoid paying to comply
with environmental legislation in the MEDCs)
Impacts on MEDCs
Negative :Over dependence on LEDCs, some of which have
fragile governments
Loss of manufacturing jobs in the MEDC.
Positive :Greater profit made through cheap labour costs in the
LEDC
Spreads the influence of MEDCs – opens markets in
the LEDC e.g. China
Consumers (mainly in MEDCs) get cheaper products
and greater choice
Positive :Provides expertise including managerial and new
technology
Helps improve the country’s infrastructure – roads,
railways, power supplies etc.
Increases skills of the LEDCs
Provides jobs
You may be asked why your chosen industry is important on
a Global scale. You will need to include the following points
in your answer:Nike has and is investing heavily in manufacturing and sales
in China – as sales increase (Nike is one of the sponsors of the
Beijing Olympics), wage demands increase
Nike has huge number of customers worldwide – benefits
economies of many countries
Sales in 2007 were $18 Billion and profits nearly $2 Billion
Nike employs over 30,000 people directly and 1 million others
are involved in making, supplying and selling goods
worldwide
Nike invests millions of dollars to get athletes and teams to
wear its gear, appealing to customers across the world
Advertis ing is everywhere – 70% of people under 16 in Britain
have one piece of Nike clothing/shoes
You may be asked to identify the INPUTS,
PROCESSES and OUTPUTS of the manufacturing
plant:INPUTS - Raw Materials e.g. leather for shoes,
thread for clothing , rubber for shoes etc.
PROCESSES – what actually goes on in the
factory! E.g. sewing clothing, dying clothing,
soling and heeling footwear etc.
OUTPUTS – Nike Footwear, clothing, profit
(how much Nike makes once costs are
accounted for), waste (off-cuts of clothing,
rubber soles etc.)
How can economic development be made sustainable?
Tourism in the Yorkshire Dales National Park
You will need to know the definition for the following terms:Living standards - Standard of living refers to the level of wealth, comfort, material goods
and necessities available to a certain socioeconomic class in a certain geographic area.
Exploit - Exploitation is defined as the act of using resources or the act of treating people
unfairly in order to benefit from their efforts or labour.
Protect – Environmental protection is a practice of protecting the natural environment on
individual, organizational or governmental levels, for the benefit of both the natural
environment and humans.
Stewardship - Environmental stewardship refers to responsible use and protection of
the natural environment through conservation and sustainable practices.
Conservation - The act of preserving and protecting something e.g. the Rainforests,
National Parks.
Manage - Environmental resource management is the management of the interaction and
impact of human societies on the environment e.g. managing tourism in the Yorkshire Dales
National Park.
Sustainable Development - is a pattern of resource use that aims to meet human needs
while preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but
also for future generations.
As part of an answer to this question, you could also list the attractions of your chosen area
has for tourists:
 680 square miles of unspoilt scenery
Malham Cove, White Scar Caves and Gaping Gill are all popular tourist attractions
 Rare flowers, rich hay meadows and limestone woodland and scrub
 Limestone scenery including underground caves
 Famous Footpaths e.g. Dales Way and Pennine Way
You need to understand the problems created by tourism in the Yorkshire Dales before you
can understand how this economic activity can be made more sustainable:Conflicts in the Yorkshire Dales national Park:Tourists and Conservationists – tourists threaten the habitats of animals and erode
footpaths
Tourists and farmers – tourists may leave gates open for farm animals to escape and drop
litter which is dangerous for animals. Farmers can be unwelcoming to tourists, blocking
rights of way.
Conservationists and the National Park Authority (NPA) – the NPA want to encourage
visitors to the Yorkshire Dales NP but Conservationists want to limit numbers in order to
protect the countryside.
Local Businesses and Local People – many businesses (shops mainly) cater for tourists
because of the money they bring in but local needs are often ignored (e.g. shops are packed
with souvenirs instead of goods for locals).
Local People and Tourists – often villages and towns are swamped with tourists in the
summer. Locals object to the noise and air pollution from their cars and parking can be
difficult.
Property Developers and Local People – some tourists love the NP so much that they buy
a second home there. This puts prices of houses up which local people can not afford.
How is tourism (an economic activity) in the Yorkshire Dales National Park managed in a
sustainable way? Here are a few important points you need to know:Traffic congestion –
the NPA set up parkand-ride system in
Malham, free guided
walks for those who
arrive by bus and
traffic restrictions in
the village
To combat footpath
erosion the NPA have
built steps at Malham
Cove, seeded bare
parts of many paths
and set up signs to
steer visitors away from
environmentally
sensitive areas.
Malham Park
Information Centre – set
up to educate the public
on conservation
(disturbance of habitats,
picking rare flowers)
Sustainable Management
Because of the
restrictions on
development and
lack of jobs for
locals young
people have
moved away,
creating an aging
population in
many of the
towns/villages.
NPA helps local farmers
diversify (create new
sources of income) e.g.
grants for study centres,
advice on farming
methods and Bed and
Breakfast
accommodation
Protection of local facilities
e.g. village shops by not
granting planning
permission for development
which would undermine
these facilities
e,g,supermarket
Sustainable Development Fund – for
small businesses, local authorities
and community groups e.g. the
Brown Trout Project, Dales Biomass
Facilitation Service, GreenBeams
(providing sustainable hardwood)
Honeypot development at
places such as Malham have
increased disruption for locals
in Malham and other villages
but protects other parts of the
NP.
Planning controls for
new housing is strictly
controlled – limiting
holiday property but
not providing much
needed cheaper
housing for locals