geography freak Flashcards
How do transport systems impact the Physical Environment
- Alter the natural landscape
- Impact the livelihood of Flora and Fauna
- Increase carbon footprint
How do transport systems impact the People
- Improve mobility
- Create traffic congestion
- Present health risks
- Present safety risks
Ways in which the natural environment is altered ( 4 main ways)
- Tunneling through large boulders or mountain rock to provide a faster route of path for transport
- Building roads along mountain hills
- Diverting river channels manually
- The physical environment is cleared and altered to enable the construction of transport systems (hence taking away the habitat of flora and fauna)
3 Main greenhouse gases
- CO2 (Carbon dioxide)
- CH4 (Methane)
- N2O (Nitrous Oxide)
What are greenhouse gases and can it cause excessive heat:
Greenhouse gases are naturally occurring gases that exist to ensure that the environment is habitably warm.
Excessive release of greenhouse gas can enhance the greenhouse effect thus leading to major consequences such as global warming and climate change.
Define the Increase in Carbon Footprint:
Carbon footprint measures the amount of greenhouse gases released during human activities.
How are transport systems involved in increasing greenhouse gas emissions:
- Fossil fuels are burnt to provide power for motorized transport modes.
- Even transport modes powered by electricity rely on the burning of fossil fuels to generate energy.
- Transport activities account for 25-30% of all greenhouse gases released.
The 6 main needs of different members of a community:
1 - Access to lifts/ramps
2 - Longer crossing time at zebra crossings
3 - Audio and Visual assistance (textured path)
4 - Sufficient space for movement
5 - Support and railings
6 - Buttons at a lower height
How is enhanced mobility essential (3 points)
- Allows people to access goods and services easily
- Allows for a more independent travel experience
- Allows people to engage in social exchanges which will improve their social well being
case study example on the implementation of age-friendly and barrier free on roads and paths
Singapore has designated silver zones, which refer to places with a greater population of elderly.
These silver zones have special features to accommodate the safety and mobility of the elderly:
- Curved roads to force vehicles to slow down
- Vehicular speed limit is capped at 40km/h
- Brightly marked signages
- Yellow painted roads strips to alert drivers to the start of silver zones
- Mountable dividers that allow emergency vehicles to cross over when necessary
Definition of Traffic Congestion:
It is the condition in which road usage is reaching or has surpassed capacity.
Places and times when traffic congestion is most common
- During peak hour (commuting hour 7-9am)
- At CBD or town centre where there is a high concentration of economic activities.
How does traffic congestion impact users:
- Experience a delay
- Waste time travelling
- Lose concentration and gain frustration
- Health concerns of those breathing in the polluted city air
- Health concerns of constant exposure to noise generated (by vehicles)
How does traffic congestion impact the physical environment:
- In traffic congestions, vehicles spend more time on the road hence there is a greater release of particulate matter, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, which are toxic and pollute the air.
Suggested solutions to curb the problem of traffic congestion (3 ways):
- Switch to clean alternative energies
- Encourage the use of public transport
- Encourage people to adopt non-motorised modes of transport such as cycling or walking
Health concerns of exposure to polluted air in the city:
- Respiratory illnesses such as breathing difficulties, trigger asthma, lung infection and potential lung cancer.
- Eye irratation after prolonged exposure
Example of Road Safety Concerns:
Road accidents
Negative impact of road accidents:
- Loss of life
- Increased demand for healthcare (Follow-up appointments and a hospital bed for the stay)
- Damage of public and personal property
- Cause disabilities among people
How are road accidents prevented:
- Stricter laws against the use of personal mobile device or drinking under the influence of alcohol and drugs (dangerous driving)
- Lowered vehicular speed cap limits
- Speed cameras to deter drivers from committing dangerous driving and to catch errant road users
What gives rise to personal safety concerns:
As urban population grows, the amount of congestion within public transport increases
Examples of personal safety concerns (2 types)
- pick-pocketing/theft
- outrage of modesty (molestation)
3 Methods in which cities can follow to deal with increased crime on crowded public transport systems:
- Increased police patrols
- increased number of security cameras
- Introducing gender-segregated transportation (Example: Japan)
The three types of safety concerns:
- Road safety concerns
- Personal safety concerns
- National safety concerns
Example of a national security concern:
- Major transport terminals within a city are potential targets for terrorist attacks
Negative effect and risk of terrorist effects:
- Attack on major infrastructure can cripple a city’s mobility and worldwide profile
- Significant loss of lives in the event
- Instill fear among civillians
4 Methods in which cities can follow to deal with national security concerns:
- Non-uniformed and uniformed police officers patrolling transport terminals
- Increase in security cameras
- Conducting security checks (body/bag searches for illegal items)
- Remind commuters to be alert of suspicious activity and report them
Two main ways in which cities can manage transport systems sustainably:
- Manage people’s demand for transport
- Improve the provision of transport
4 ways to improve the provision of transport
- Transport policies and regulation
- Providing a range of transport modes
- integrated land-use and transport planning
- Research and development of transport systems
Three main ways to implement transport policies and regulations:
- Discouraging the ownership of private vehicles to reduce the number of vehicles on the road (lessens congestion and emissions)
- Encouraging commuters to take up non-motorized modes of transports (walking and cycling)
- Encourage commuters to use public transport systems (Make efficient systems to attract users into switching to public modes of transport)
What is the imposition of congestion pricing:
Road users pay an extra sum of money to use a specific stretch of road during certain times of the day (the causeway during peak hours), this policy make travel by private transport more expensive compared to public transport and moreover, the additional revenue raised from the policy is used to enhance public transport systems.
Three problems associated with congestion pricing:
- The overall flow of traffic is not actually reduced, but diverted to other roads without congestion pricing (smart hacks among civilians)
- Unhappiness may arise among people over additional charges.
- Systems need to be in place to enforce regulations and collect fees (or else people can just drive without paying the fee)
Definition of integrated land-use and transport planning:
Good integrated land-use or transport planning allows for better accessibility to different places
How does good integrated land-use or transport planning allow for better accessibility to different places:
- Reduced travel time
- Making traveling safe
- Making travelling afforable
- Making travelling convenient
- Is environmentally friendly
How is land-use planning important:
- Shapes the demand for travel
- Shapes the distance needed to travel
(When the time needed to commute is reduced, mobility and access to services are enhanced)
Definition of Land-use planning:
They are zoning plans set up by the authorities that outline future locations and types of development that are to be permitted or not in land zones over a period of time (5-15 years)
Definition of transport planning
When Authorities look at the current state of transport to predict and design the operations, provisions and management of transport systems for current and future needs
Ways to encourage mobility among people:
-Having closely located shops and facilities
- Attractive building facades
- Wide, shaded pathways
provide pedestrians with an enjoyable travelling experience
What must an integrated land-use and transport plan need to have (3 points)
- Good coordination and communication between different stakeholders
- Strike a balance between social, economic and transport needs
- Commit to investing time and large amounts of money to design and develop infrastructure
Mobility in individuals can be limited by: (5 ways)
- Physical disabilities
- Health issues
- The cost of transport
- Availability of transport modes nearby
Challenges in providing a range of mobility options:
- Cost heavy (Expensive)
- Careful and time-consuming planning process
- Use of resource
Example of Transport Research and Development (for improvement):
- Designing and developing environmentally friendly transport infrastructure (use of green building materials and techniques when constructing transport infrastructure)
- Mobile applications which can provide useful information to commuters such as public transport arrival times, crowd conditions, availability of wheelchairs, delays (in the event of a transport break down)
[i.e. the MyTransport.SG mobile app]
