Urban

Question 1

Housing problems in the inner city of Glasgow.

Answer 1

Inner city areas have a number of problems such as:
- old and poor-quality high-density housing eg Govan.
- housing lacked basic amenities eg no hot water,toilets or central heating. the stonework was crumbling and the ‘closes’ were shabby and dirty.
- lack of gardens and garages.
- derelict factories eg old warehouses and abandoned shipyards along the River Clyde.
- lack of green space and lots of waste ground.
- housing built beside industry which ruins scenery.
- high level of air pollution due to the smoke and chemicals from the factories.
- brownfield sites which are polluted from old industries.
- there was a problem with overcrowding with large families living in one bedroom.
- high crime rates and unemployment as people are poorer and become more desperate.
- poor services eg shops and public transport. this, in turn, could increase crime rate in the area.
- health was an issue due to the flats being dark and damp causing diseases such a tuberculosis (TB) and bronchitis. asthma was a common ailment as people lived so close to the smoke and chemicals of the factories. rubbish and waste were common which attracted rats to the tenements, diseases spread quickly with so many people living there. the life expectancy in the Gorbals plummeted to 50 years old due to the poor.

Question 2

Management strategies employed for Glasgow’s inner city housing problem.

Answer 2

• Clyde Gateway, after the 2014 Commonwealth Games were hosted in Glasgow, the Athletes Village was developed into 1440 homes including flats, terraced housing, and detached and semi-detached houses. These new dwellings provided homes for many of the East End residents who were displaced by the demolition of their old housing as part of the regeneration of the area around Dalmarnock. the Legacy Hub is a new and improved community centre to meet the demands of the community and it includes everyday services such as dentistry and a café. local housing associations receive government grants to build more affordable housing and new energy-sufficient homes have been built (or refurbed) to lower energy bills.
• gentrification, modern apartments have been developed eg Gorbals to encourage more people to live in the city, including students, professionals who work in Glasgow and ‘nesters’ who are moving back to the city from the suburbs.
• Springfield Quay has been developed as a leisure outlet with restaurants, cinemas and ten-pin bowling to improve leisure facilities.
• transport links over the River Clyde have been improved with the addition of the Finnieston (Squintly) Bridge and there have been trees and landscaping to aesthetically improve the area and make it more environmentally friendly.
• Sighthill Transformational Regeneration area (TRA), this £250 million transformation is a partnership between Glasgow City Council, Glasgow Housing Association and also the Scottish Government and aims to:
  ~ build almost 1000 new homes
  ~ build a new community campus school
  ~ a new pedestrian and cycle bridge over the M8 motorway, which will improve the connection between the City Centre and Sighthill
  ~ a new road bridge over the Glasgow-Edinburgh railway line improving connections between Sighthill and the neighbouring communities
  ~ the site will also benefit from parkland and greenspace, with a new public square, new shops and commercial space.

Question 3

Impacts of management strategies for Glasgow’s inner city housing problem.

Answer 3

• improved housing which encourages to move to the area or stay in the area.
• mixed housing which is affordable to more people.
• improved local services and increased employment opportunities eg in Braehead.
• reduced urban sprawl and less threat to farmland and wildlife habitats.
• regenerated riverside, improving the reputation of Glasgow.
• improved transport routes making it easier for people to travel around the city.
• the more appealing appearance of the landscape as new buildings replace derelict factories.
• increased revenue from tourism, as visitors are attracted to the regenerated inner city to use the Hydro and Science Centre.

Question 4

Traffic problems in Glasgow.

Answer 4

• old, narrow streets which were built when cars had not been invented.
• gridiron street pattern with many road intersections, requiring traffic lights. red lights slow up the movement of traffic.
• high daytime population as the CBD is a place of work, shopping and entertainment.
• many commuters travelling from suburbs to the CBD cause rush hour problems.
• the CBD is the main focus of all the main roads and transport routes.
• car ownership is increasing, so even more cars are on the road than previously.
• delivery lorries, buses, pedestrians and street parking all slow down traffic.
• buildings are close together, so they would have to be demolished if roads were to be widened to accommodate more traffic.

Question 5

Management strategies employed for Glasgow’s traffic problem and their impact.

Answer 5

• one-way streets eg Hope Street which allow traffic to flow freely, without delays.
  i - helps to keep traffic moving freely. however, they can cause confusion for people who are not familiar with restrictions, which can lead to accidents.
• pedestrianisation eg Buchanan Street, which helps to reduce accidents by keeping shoppers and vehicles separated.
  i - some streets are safer and have less air pollution which enhances the shopping experience for people.
• bus lanes eg Nelson MandelaPlace help to make public transport more attractive as they help to keep them running on time.
  i - help buses to run on time but people are reluctant to change their ways and want the convenience of jumping into their own cars.
• park and ride schemes at suburban train stations eg Motherwell/Croy. this allows commuters to leave their car out of the CBD and take the train into town.
  i - help to reduce the number of cars in the CBD but train fares are becoming increasingly expensive.
• the M8 motorway allows traffic to bypass the CBD.
  i - allows through traffic to bypass the CBD, reducing the number of cars in the CBD.
• reducing on-street parking by building multi-story car parks eg Buchanan Galleries and NCP, double-yellow lines, traffic wardens, fines and high on-street parking charges.
  i - helps to reduce the number of cars on the street and keep traffic flowing freely.
• more tunnels and bridges eg Clyde Tunnel and the Squinty Bridge, as some of the main points of congestion are at the main bridges across the Clyde.
  i - gives vehicles a number of routes to get across the rivers, easing congestion.
• the M74 extension, which allows some commuters to avoid using the M8 motorway.
  i - allows some commuters to avoid using the M8 motorway.
• Radio Clyde gives local traffic reports so people can avoid the most congested areas.
  i - this means that people can avoid the most congested areas and reduce traffic jams more quickly.
• develop housing in the CBD eg Merchant City Regeneration, to enable people to get about without a car.
  i - fewer people will need a car in the CBD as they can walk to work, shops and entertainment.
• decentralisation of shops and offices to reduce the number of vehicles in the CBD.
  i - will help to reduce the number of cars travelling into the CBD to use these services.
• car-sharing policies which encourage people to drive to work together.
  i - fewer cars on the road, especially during ‘rush hour’, so less congestion and air pollution.
• low emission zones (LEZs), Glasgow’s low emission zone means that by 2022 older cars and diesel cars will be banned from the city centre low emission zones.
  i - this may encourage more use of public transport, or an investment in more less polluting cars, solving the pollution problem.

Question 6

Housing problems of the favelas of Rio de Janeiro.

Answer 6

Housing problems in Roçinha include:

• poor quality housing and overcrowding. In a favela, people build their own houses on land which doesn’t belong to them. the land that is used is not suitable for properly built houses as it is too steep or marshy. dwellings are made from basic materials such as wood, corrugated sheets, broken bricks and tarpaulin. the population density is very high - about 37000 people per square kilometre. the houses lack basic amenities such as running water or toilets. sewage often runs in open drains due to poor sanitation so diseases such as cholera are common and spread rapidly among high numbers of people. as they are illegal, favelas are not maintained by the government so there is no electricity, sewerage pipes, rubbish collection, schools or hospitals. there have been many unsuccessful attempts to remove favelas but as people have nowhere else to go, they usually return and rebuild their homes.
• poor health care, people live in poverty and cannot afford healthcare or medicines. this means that illness goes untreated and diseases spread quickly. consequently, infant mortality rates are high and life expectancy is low at an average of 56 years in a favela in Rio de Janeiro.
• unemployment, unemployment rates are high as there are not enough jobs to go around. most people who do have a job work in the informal sector for ‘cash in hand’ eg cleaners. informal sector jobs are very poorly paid and offer people little means of survival. work is irregular therefore a steady income is not guaranteed.
• crime, Rio de Janeiro is notorious for drug trafficking, notably cocaine. tourists visiting famous beaches such as the Copacabana are encouraged not to take expensive valuables as crime is rife. the crime rate in favelas is also extremely high as they are controlled by gangs who are involved in gun crime, drugs and murder. Roçinha is so feared by police that they do not patrol on foot without guns.
• pollution, Rio de Janeiro is part of Brazil’s industrial triangle so air pollution from factories is a major problem. fumes from traffic sit over Guanabara Bay and smog is common. waste and rubbish from housing and industry create much land pollution. seas and beaches are also polluted along the coastline. in favelas, rubbish is left to pile up and sewerage runs in open drains. As a result, the drinking water supply is easily polluted. visual pollution is caused by the shanties themselves and can put off tourists. noise pollution is common due to the volume of industry, cars and people.
• landslides, Rio is surrounded by mountains, so during tropical storms landslides are common. make-shift houses in favelas offer little protection to people. houses and belongings are easily washed away by the heavy rain and mud.

Question 7

Management strategies employed for the housing problems in favelas in Rio de Janeiro.

Answer 7

self-help schemes, self-help schemes are small-scale projects, which let local people use their skills to improve their housing. As a result, the residents have managed to gradually transform the favela of Roçigha into a small city. The government work with local housing associations and has provided materials such as bricks, cement and glass to enable residents to work together to improve their own homes. Often an additional floor is made to reduce overcrowding. in Roçinha, self-help schemes have improved the area from slums to low-quality housing. most homes now have basic amenities such as electricity and others may even now have satellite tv. toilets have been added to reduce the incidence of water-related diseases. there are services such as cafes, entertainment and shops run by locals. streets have been paved allowing rubbish collection. some people have been granted legal ownership of the land where their house is built.
site and service schemes, these are local authority programmes designed to relocate residents from favelas. £200 million was set aside to improve 60 out of 600 favelas in Rio. The initial plan was to improve areas that were visible to tourists and people living in well-off housing areas. brick houses were built with electricity, running water and sanitation pipes to replace dwellings made of wood or no proper foundations. an example of this scheme is the Favela Bairro Project. services in these areas include refuse collection, schools and health centres. certain streets were widened for access to refuse collection and emergency services. sports areas were added and streets were paved. within these housing areas, the residents pay taxes to the government to ensure services will run. people can also be given permission to buy these houses.
Barra da Tijuca, is a new town along a coastal motorway approximately 20km from central Rio de Janeiro. wealthier residents moved out of overcrowded and run-down city centre. this movement is called counter-urbanisation. housing is luxurious and spacious and residents all drive their own cars. high rise apartments makeup 75% of the housing and have security to minimise crime. detached houses are equipped with modern facilities. residents are well-off and they have high-paid jobs to pay for this expensive housing. services in the town include entertainment, shopping malls and leisure centres. there are also schools, hospitals and offices.
Charities, along with aid workers help to improve the quality of life for people in shanty towns. they provide money for self-help schemes and teach skills to locals. the Developing Minds Foundation or Project Favela are voluntary organisations that build schools and supports education programs in the favelas in Rio de Janeiro. the goal is to improve the literacy rates of children so they have good jobs, improve their standard of living and enhance their life choices when they grow up.
Eviction and demolition, Brazil is the host of the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympic Games. To improve the image of large cities such as Rio, the government has undertaken drastic action in certain places to make way for the building of new stadiums: they have evicted and demolished some of the most prominent favelas.
Pacification, in 2008, the pacification was put into place to allow the police to take back control of the favelas and aimed to tackle crime in Rio. this would result in an improved quality of life for the residents. drug dealers and drug traffickers were given the notice to leave the area before military police began reclaiming favelas street by street. they searched each house for drugs and weapons, forcing the gangs from the areas.
Cingapura, the project will replace favelas with building 5-11 storeys high. each floor will have four apartments. most have two bedrooms, a sitting room, a kitchen and a laundry room. however, they have nothing inside eg flooring, therefore it will be up to the resident to complete their home. Householders will have to pay an initial $60 and the rent for a 20-year mortgage was $18-26 a month which is very costly for those with low-paid jobs.

Question 8

Impact of management strategies for housing problems for favelas in Rio de Janeiro.

Answer 8

the success of self-help schemes has been limited due to:
- the position of many houses on steep-sided hills
- the sheer number of homes
- the amount of government funding available.

site and service schemes, due to clean water and improved sanitation the instances of the disease have reduced and resulted in better health of the people. however, these programmes are reliant on government funding and the Brazillian Government is targeting a lot of their spending on faculties for the World Cup and Olympic Games.

Barra da Tijuca, housing is high-density so helps to replace extremely high-density living in favelas. however, accommodation in this part of Rio is limited to those who can afford it. communities are broken up when people relocate. the housekeepers, maids, cleaners and gardeners of the wealthy people have to set up their own favela in Barra.

charity work depends on international volunteers and donations, if there are no donations then improvements cannot take place.

the eviction of people has led to protests and violent crashes with police. people who have been displaced have just set up another favela in place of the one that has been removed as they need somewhere to live.

pacification has been successful in the favelas as it has dramatically reduced crime and the murder rate. however, the local people now have a district of the police and there have been widespread protests and disruption because of this. the police of Rio is also very corrupt and accept bribes from gangs.

Cingapura, this costs 15 times more than site and service schemes. as people moved into the high rise flat, the community feeling was lost as friends and family are separated. people began to feel isolated and were often located far away from job opportunities because of the location of the superblocks.

Question 9

Traffic problems in Rio de Janeiro.

Answer 9

there has been a massive increase in traffic congestion in Rio de Janeiro. the causes of congestion are as follows:
- lack of planning, so streets are not designed for many cars.
- increased car ownership due to more high-paying jobs in the city.
- increasing population moving into the inner city areas for employment.
- poor quality roads within the inner city are unable to cope with the volume of traffic.
- lack of adequate public transport services. Rio has a limited subway system that does not cover the favelas. the subway also has regular breakdowns and is extremely overcrowded. in 2013, people were so enraged due to the unreliability of public transport and delays that they set fire to train carriages.
- lack of investment in transport infrastructures eg roads, railways and car parks.
- as Rio is surrounded by mountains and sea, this makes traffic management difficult. large volumes of traffic are forced along main roads and this causes severe traffic congestion, resulting in air and noise pollution.
- the cost of buses in Rio is very expensive and heavy traffic on roads means long daily commutes for people. due to this many people walk or cycle, but the streets are poor;y maintained and are dangerous due to few traffic lights.

Question 10

The management strategies employed for Rio de Janeiro’s traffic problem and their impact.

Answer 10

• Bus Rapid Transit systems (BRTs) provide high-quality, fast and cost-effective high-capacity transportation by creating designated lanes, set stations and regular and frequent service, greatly improving mobility, especially in dense urban settings like Rio de Janeiro. These carry up to 180 passengers, have dedicated bus lanes, are air-conditioned, and link the airport with residential and commercial areas, they also have 5 terminal stations and 45 stations, this has a capacity of 320,000 commuters.
  i - this has helped to remove 500 buses from the roads reducing noise and air pollution. the BRT is safe and reliable unlike the old systems and exclusive bus lanes mean that there is a decrease in journey time by 65%.
• one-way systems, allow traffic to flow freely without delays.
  i - help to keep traffic moving freely. however, they can cause confusion to people who are familiar with restrictions which can lead to accidents.
• contra-flow systems mean traffic can flow freely in both directions.
  i - traffic can flow freely in both directions. however, more traffic lights and intersections are required.
• widening of roads to accommodate more traffic.
  i - some people argue the larger the road, the more car users are encouraged to drive on it.
• alternative transport systems such as the subway system. In 1975, the subway system in Rio opened, it has two lanes, 35 stations and covers 26 miles to reduce pressure on roads and bridges to reduce commute time. this was extended in 2004 to link Copacabana to Ipanema.
  i - reduces the number of cars on the roads, reducing congestion. also means more space for roads and cars above ground.
• decentralisation of shops and offices to the outskirts of the city to help reduce the number of cars travelling into the city.
  i - this strategy means that people do not need to travel into the CBD and can make shorter journeys to places closer to their homes in the suburbs. thereby reducing the number of cars in the city centre. however, fewer customers will mean businesses lose profits in the CBD.
• in October 2011, ‘Bike Rio’ began, a sharing system sponsored by the government. there is 450km of cycle routes around the city with protected bike lanes. there have been over 1300 bike racks in key locations since 2003.
  i - bicycle infrastructure is less costly to implement than other modes of transport, and it saves an incredible amount of public space. for instance, bicycles require 10 times less space than automobiles to transport the same number of people. cycling is also environmentally friendly.
• Rio Niteroi Bridge, one of the longest bridges in the world. The Rio Niteroi Bridge is 14km long and was constructed in 1974. it connects Rio with the City of Niteroi across the bay and is invaluable as it is a shorter journey than the hour-long ferry or 80km road journey.
  i - during rush hour however both ends of the bridge are majorly congested.
• in 1997, the Yellow Line expressway was opened and stretches 21km long. it links the international airport, Rio’s North Zone and the West Zone, Barra de Tijuca.
  i - the Yellow Line expressway is a toll road as although constructed, the authorities did not have enough money to cover the cost. As a result it is now a toll road. it was expected that over 55,000 vehicles would use the expressway, however, that figure has been nearly 70,000. it has been very successful and removed around 40% of traffic from local roads in the area.