1. Group 5 Si Hoi Man, Gloria (21) Yeung Lik Yan, Teresa (32) Mak Chung Yin, Danny (18) Wong Chung Sze, Bobo (25) Wu Yu Si, Rain (30) M4 Corridor--UK

2. Background Information England Silicon Valley Mainly footloose industries (IT) Greatest Concentration : between London and Reading many motorways--excellent communication networks—attract companies large number of businesses, particularly in Berkshire, Swindon and the Thames Valley Contribute much to the Information Economy of the UK

3. Map of M4 Corridor (1)

4. Map of M4 Corridor (2)

5. Map of M4 Corridor (3) link to London Heathrow Airport

6. Where is M4 Corridor? adjacent to the M4 motorway, spanning from London to Bristol (South Wales) The M4 motorway --linking London with West Wales major places directly accessible from M4 junctions are Reading, Swindon, Bristol, Newport, Cardiff and Swansea Link to London Heathrow Airport Rail access science parks & universities Attractive Countryside---pleasant working environment

7. What are the Dominant industries ? Information Technology Industries technology based companies Examples:

8. What are the Characteristics of the IT industries? Production Product Market

9. Characteristics-Production i.Technology-intensive e.g. 1 software industries(e.g. Microsoft)  application programs e.g.2 communication services industries(e.g. Vodafone)  mobile tele-communications

10. ii.R&D – intensive --designing and improving products -- near universities and research centres (e.g. Oxford) Characteristics-Production

11. iii.Highly emphasis on human resources  Requires highly-skilled labour (experts) -E.g. scientists, engineers Characteristics-Production

12. Characteristics-Product i.High Value-added  Little Costs of raw materials and power resources, but expensive products  Much value is generated in using R&D, advanced technology and highly skilled labour E.g. for application programs  raw materials required is limited, however value is added through repeated testing on programs by scientists  light product but high value ii. Short Product life Cycle

13. Characteristics-Market i.Serve Global market  serve customers all over the world  Footloose E.g. Transnational corporations (TNCs)  Design and research - MDCs (headquarters, R&D are set up in M4 Corridors in London)  Manufacturing process -- LDCs (Africa)  lower production cost

14. What are the Locational factors of M4 Corridor? M4 Corridor Transport Labour Attractive working environment Agglomeration economies Government Land Raw materials Market Energy

15. Transport (accessibility ) Labour (Mobilty ) Attractive working Environment (pleasant) Which are the important locational factors? Form good communication and accessible network attract Excellent Communication network

16. Transport  Characteristics  Proximity of London Heathrow Airport  Proximity of the M4 and M4 links to other UK’s major motorway (M5, M40, M25, M3)  Close to high speed rail link

17. Describe the Locational advantages & evaluate its importance Adv: High Accessibility to other parts of UK and other countries Mobility of labour increase Shorten the Commuting time for labour Allow easy communication Importance:  essential for the professional from all around the world  Share of ideas  Attract foreign IT professionals and experts

18. Labour Characteristics large labour force Nearness to universities (e.g. Bath, Bistrol, Oxford, Reading, London) where experts are found and research facilities available Close to Science parks and research centres

19. Adv: a lot of skilled and trained labour for IT New ideas or innovation can be exchanged quickly Maintain and share supportive service Importance:  depends much on skilled labour/ high quality labour  easily be found near university or research centres Describe the Locational advantages & evaluate its importance

20. An attractive working & living environment Characteristics green fieldsite, beautiful and pleasant place scenic surrounding proximity to London (entertainment) easy access to research and financial institutions

21. Adv: Attracts more skilled labour (both UK and foreign labour) Importance Great competition for skilled labour Describe the Locational advantages & evaluate its importance

22. Cluster of IT industries

23. Agglomeration economies Characteristics proximity to other IT industries previous location and existence of government and other research centers

24. Adv: ideas and information can be exchanged quickly and easily cost can be lowered by sharing infrastructure (e.g. M4 Motorway) Good reputation—attract venture capital and skilled labour Importance: Improvement in IT depends much on sharing of ideas Huge Venture capital is required for IT industries Skilled labour would tend to choose to work in this place for reputation Describe the Locational advantages & evaluate its importance

25. Government Incentives Characteristics: Set up research centers Infrastructual support grants to assist new firm Adv:  Provide skilled labour  Provide efficient transport -- high accessibility

26. Land Characteristics: land price, premises and housing are a lot cheaper than London Adv:  Lower cost  Put more capital on R&D Relatively less important:  not require abundant land space

27. Market, raw material, energy Traditional locational factors Serving global market Raw material are mainly ideas and technology Energy is not much required  relatively less important

28. Future Development 1.Concentration of IT industries will still remain present locational advantages (transport and labours) still exist agglomeration economies Strength: nodal points that can become complementary

29. What are the Future Development? 2.Expand westward--New M4+Government relocation Programme i.New M4  proposed motorway south of Newport  new dual 3-lane motorway link between Magor and Castleton

30. The key objectives of the project are:  Social - deliver enhanced accessibility to services and employment opportunities  Economic -deliver a more efficient transport capability for road traffic on the primary economic gateway to South Wales -facilitate growth in regional and national prosperity  Environmental -prevent, reduce and where practicable offset any significant adverse effects on environment  Develop better transport links in west of M4corridor  Encourage more industries to set up in the west

31. ii.Government relocation Programme

32.  relocate 20000 public sector jobs from London and SE to the region---cluster of government departments  encouage industries to set up in the western part of M4  Local structural development Future Development