15 Urban Challenges in the UK

Question 1

What percent of the population live in cities in the UK?

Answer 1

82%

Question 2

Describe different population densities as you change locations throughout the UK?

Answer 2

Average - 260 people / km2
London - 5,000 people / km2
N Scotland - 10 people / km2

Question 3

Where are the location of cities?

Answer 3

on flat, low-lying land near a coast/river

Question 4

What is the fastest and slowest growing city?

Answer 4

Fastest - London (fastest growing economy)

Slowest - Sunderland (decline of industry + jobs)

Question 5

Why is London a successful city?

Answer 5

by a Tidal River (high tide - ships can sail)

Built on lowest riding point on Thames (widest place to build bridge)

Question 6

Why did London cary on growing?

Answer 6

Post-18th Century: New docks > New Industries > People

End of 20th Century: main hub for transport (railway / airport)

Question 7

What is London’s national and international importance?

Answer 7

Business
Media + Communications
Education
Legal + Medical Facilities
Culture, Entertainment + Tourism

Question 8

Describe London’s growth as a trend

Answer 8

Industrial Revolution - grew
during WW2 - decrease
Now - growing

Question 9

Why is London’s population growing now?

Answer 9

The migration of young (pull factors)

Means that population is young - high rate of natural increase

Question 10

How are areas of London changing?

Answer 10

Gentrification - old places (e.g. Shoreditch - factories + warehouses) have newcomers moving in (industrial buildings > flats + offices)

Question 11

Describe London’s main industry throughout the years and what impact it has on the population?

Answer 11

1970s: London’s Docks decline (container ships too big)
Now: Finance growing
Therefore, docks change to attractive places w/ jobs
(e.g. Canary Wharf)
This increases the number of jobs + population

Question 12

Why does London need good public transport?

Answer 12

The population/passenger number is rising
Driving is not used - limited parking + traffic
2014: 75 million on train + bus in London a week

Question 13

What are the future transport plans of London?

Answer 13

Crossrail (East-West) - 2018
Tunnel under city - reduce time + increase passenger numbers

Crossrail 2 (North-South) - 2030

Question 14

What are the impacts of London’s future transport plants?

Answer 14

Reduce journey time (e.g. Liverpool>Heathrow - 1 hr 35m)
Rail passenger journeys increase by 10%
1.5 million people can commute to London in 45 minutes
Property value near stations will rise by 25%
It will encourage further regeneration

Question 15

Why is London so green?

Answer 15

Due to the City Development - Central London Parks + Local Parks + Suburbs Growth (expensive so house on farms)

Question 16

Why is it good that London is so green?

Answer 16

Trees produce oxygen - reduce global warming
Risk of flooding is decreased
Habitat for wildlife
People enjoy it + keep healthy
Grow own food

Question 17

How does London try to protect their ‘green spaces’?

Answer 17

Small Scale - e.g. feed birds in Winter + not pave over gardens
Large scale - connect green spaces (help migrate species) - ‘green grid’ - e.g. Garden Bridge across Thames (2018)

Question 18

Why does London need new homes?

Answer 18

Shortage of homes: 100,000 new people a year, but only 20,000 new homes a year

So, build on brownfield/greenfield sites to expand
+ Build homes on green belt (land w/ strict planning controls) - maintaining the belt is expensive

Question 19

Does London have an issue with pollution?

Answer 19

Levels are better than before (use of coal)
But, it is still bad - car emissions + modern heating + concrete trap emissions

London often goes above EU regulations

Question 20

How is London trying to keep their pollution levels low?

Answer 20

Creating new cycle superhighways

Predicted that cyclists will form 15% of road users in 50 years (1% now)