Transport in the UK What are the differences between travel in the UK and China?

Roads There were tracks across the country in prehistoric times. From the first to the fourth century AD the Romans built roads to make it easy for soldiers to move around the country. Roman roads were usually straight and had a good surface. You can still see Roman roads today.

The network of Roman roads

Later roads In the Middle Ages travel by road was difficult – roads were muddy and journeys took a long time, especially in winter. From the seventeenth to the nineteenth century turnpike roads were built. Travellers had to pay before using roads that had been improved.

A toll cottage

Modern roads Tarmac is used to make road surfaces suitable for cars. Better roads were constructed in the 1930s, and the first motorway was opened in There are a few toll bridges, but there is only one toll road in the UK. You have to pay £11.50 per day (Congestion Charge) to drive in Central London: this is to prevent overcrowding.

Single Track road on the Isle of Coll

Road safety Everyone drives on the left, and it is an offence to drive on the wrong side or to ignore traffic laws. The upper speed limit is 70 mph (110 kph) on good roads – in towns the speed limit is 30 mph or less. If your car is more than 3 years old it must pass a test every year to ensure that it is safe to drive - (MOT). New drivers have to pass a theory test as well as a practical test. There are strict rules about drinking and driving. Drivers and passengers must wear a seat belt.

Road design Old roads are improved to make them safer. Safety is important in the design of new roads. Roundabouts are common – their purpose is to increase safety at junctions.

Cars in the UK By the 1880s petrol engines had been developed by German inventors such as Benz and Daimler. Laws in the UK prevented cars from using roads until 1896.

Cars for the rich At first cars were only for the very rich. Here is a 1905 Rolls- Royce.

Wider car ownership By the 1930s, car ownership was increasing. Many middle class families had cars. Here is a 1930s Austin 7. Cars were often used for holidays, and some families had caravans.

Later cars The Mini was popular from the 1960s onwards. Some people today still prefer smaller cars, as they are cheaper to buy and run. Some families buy larger cars, such as this 2011 Ford Galaxy. It is multi-purpose, with seven seats, but some of them fold flat.

Cost of driving You can learn to drive on the road from the age of 17 onwards: a provisional licence costs £43. It costs about £25 for each driving lesson – less than one hour. The theory test is £23 and the practical test costs from £45.50 to £ If your car is over 3 years old it must have a test every year – the MOT. Cost: £54.85 You have to pay a tax for your car every year: the cost is £230 for an older car, but less for most newer cars.

More car costs You must insure your car. Car insurance usually costs from £300 upwards per annum, but can be over £1,000 for drivers under 25. Petrol costs £1.05 per litre. Diesel is £1.10 per litre. (If your car runs on diesel, it needs less fuel). You need to pay for regular servicing in a garage, plus oil, replacement tyres and sometimes new parts. One estimate of the total annual cost of running a small car which you drive for 5,000 miles (8,000km) is that it will cost you 68.6p for every mile (nearly 11 RMB per km).

Car ownership and use At the end of 2013 there were 35.0 million vehicles licenced to use the road in Great Britain 40% of private cars have a female registered keeper In 2008 only 22% of UK households did not have a car: 44% had one car, 27% had two cars and 7% had three or more cars. Over 70% of the UK population use a car to commute to work – use is lower in London. Cars are often used for leisure trips, to go shopping and to take children to school.

Parking As car use increases, parking is often a problem in residential areas and close to shops. You are not allowed to park on pavements. You may have to pay parking charges in town centres and at hospitals, railway stations and airports. Parking charges may be more than £10 a day.

Road accidents – one result of road use Recently road casualties have declined for all road users except for cyclists. Safer vehicles, better roads and traffic laws may be the reasons for this. For instance, the wearing of seat belts is compulsory % change from Killed1, Seriously injured 22, Slightly injured 184, Total208,648-35

Other problems connected with car use Traffic problems – car journeys are slow at busy times. Pollution – air quality may be poor in cities, especially near busy roads. This contributes to heart and lung disease and may be a factor in cancer. Lack of exercise – obesity is increasing, partly because of greater car use. Crime – traffic offences and theft of and from cars.

Discussion questions 1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of increasing car ownership? 2. Should car ownership be encouraged? Why or why not?

Trains Generally frequent to most destinations, though you may have to change trains during the journey Tickets vary enormously in price; generally considered expensive. Some people are entitled to reductions of 34% by purchasing an annual ‘railcard’ Tickets are generally bought to-and-from a destination, known as ‘return tickets’. If you are only travelling one way, this is called a ‘single’. Many tickets do not specify a specific train Advanced booking and travel after 9.30 am can cut costs Booking can be done on line

Trains: how to travel by train Purchase a ticket, either online or at the ticket office at the station Turn up before your train leaves. You are not required to turn up very early for the train – you can arrive as late as a few minutes before your train departs Platform numbers will be displayed on a display board or television screen in the station. You can go to the platform at any time, as long as you have a ticket

First Class or Standard Class  Standard Class is the usual method of travel, and is the cheapest way of travelling  First Class is much more expensive and is usually used by businesspeople

Sleeper trains  Sleeper trains in the UK are much less common than in China and only run between London and Scotland or London and Cornwall (South West England)

Train fares Fares can vary enormously depending on the time of day and day of the week. Travelling to London from Bristol could cost as little as £20 or as much as £169 for a return ticket, depending on date and time of travel. Regular travellers between two destinations may purchase a ‘Season ticket’. This is typically bought by commuters, who may commute over long distances every day (eg 1 – 2 hours’ travel each way)

Tube travel (London Underground)

Tube (Underground) symbol

London Underground map

London Underground trains

Underground travel The system is the oldest in the world, meaning that it is in need of modernisation, particularly to accommodate disabled passengers, who only have access to a limited number of stations At some stations passengers may have to walk some distance underground, and there may be stairs, causing difficulties for those carrying luggage and for parents with small children. Since the King’s Cross Underground fire of 1987, smoking has been totally banned on the underground and wooden escalators have been replaced

Activity: A to B You are travelling to London as a tourist and want to visit central London. Your hotel is near Paddington, in West London. Work out how you can travel to visit Buckingham Palace by tube. (Tip: The nearest tube stations to Buckingham Palace are: Victoria, St James’s Park and Green Park.) You should work out: How many ways you can travel to your destination What tube line you are travelling on Whether you need to change, and where Where you will be getting off

Buses Both the ‘traditional’ (single or double-decker) buses and the modern ‘bendy’ buses can be seen in London. Modern buses allow wheelchair access.

Buses Bus travel is used for local travel within a village, town or city Tickets are usually bought on board, or you could buy a ‘season ticket’ in advance There is a strict limit on how many people are allowed on the bus (standing is allowed, but only for a certain number of people)

Coach travel Coach travel is for inter-city travel (eg between Bristol and London) Standing passengers are not allowed and there is only Standard Class available Tickets must be bought in advance The wearing of seatbelts on coaches is now compulsory There is only one route on which sleeper buses operate – between London and Scotland

Trams In the past, many cities had tramways, but these were gradually dismantled. However, in some cities these are being reintroduced, as they offer a pollution-free, comfortable and reliable means of travel Cities with trams include Manchester and Sheffield

Cycling Although the government is trying to encourage cycling, life is still difficult for cyclists as it is often dangerous for them to be on the same carriageway as cars, vans and buses Some cities have separate cycle paths but these do not run throughout the whole city, meaning that cyclists have to dismount and push their bicycle in some circumstances, or join the rest of the (busy) traffic Cycle helmets should be worn by all cyclists Children are encouraged to take the ‘Cycling proficiency’ examination before being allowed to cycle on the road

Motorcycling Electric scooters (such as in China) are very rare in the UK. It is more common to see either bicycles (non- motorised) or motorcycles Motorcycles/motorbikes are more dangerous and have the highest fatality rate of any road user group It is illegal to travel by motorcycle if you are not wearing a motorcycle helmet (which is more robust than the cycle helmet) Motorcycling is cheaper than running a car

Planes There are several airports in the UK. The two main ones near London are Heathrow and Gatwick Domestic flights between cities are possible, but security requirements have made plane travel less attractive for short journeys due to the need to arrive at the airport 2 hours prior to the departure of the aircraft

Questions 1. If you had a choice (and enough money) how would you prefer to travel locally? elsewhere in China? 2. What transport policies would you like to be implemented in China?