Urbanisation in MEDCs

Causes of Urbanisation

Urbanisation means an increase in the proportion of people living in urban areas compared to rural areas. An urban area is a built-up area such as a town or city. A rural area is an area of countryside.

As a country industrialises, the number of people living in urban areas tends to increase. The UK and many other MEDCs urbanised during the 18 th and 19 th centuries. People migrated from rural areas (due to the mechanisation in farming) to urban areas where there was employment in the new factories. The area of cities known as the inner city developed during this time as rows of terraced housing were built for workers.

Today the UK is a mostly urban society, with 90% of the population living in towns or cities. On a global scale, urbanisation is taking place rapidly, particularly in

LEDCs.

Although the UK is an urban society, more and more people are choosing to live on the edge of urban areas — with many relocating to the countryside. This is called counter-urbanisation.

Problems of Urbanisation in the CBD—Traffic Congestion As more people move to the edge of towns and cities, traffic congestion may get worse. Many people will drive their cars into the city centre to get to work.

It is compounded by people being brought into city on large roads or motorways. These roads then link up with smaller, older, narrower roads in the city centre. This causes a bottleneck and congestion.

Some cities have tried to manage this problem by introducing traffic management schemes. These schemes may include:

·Park and ride schemes.

·Cycle lanes.

·Congestion charging schemes, such as those in Durham and London.

·Car-pooling, as used in the USA, to encourage people to share cars.

·Low Emission Zones, as in London.

Local councils have also tried to make the roads in urban areas safer by introducing traffic calming, pedestrian zones, vehicle-exclusion zones and permit-only parking schemes.

Problems of Urbanisation in the Urban Rural Fringe-Housing Demand

Social and demographic changes are leading to a greater demand for housing. People are living longer, and choosing to marry later, and in recent years there has been a rise in the number of single parent families. Added to this, the UK is experiencing immigration from other countries,e. g. from Poland which has recently joined the EU. The result is an ever-larger number of smaller households, all requiring accommodation.

However, building new, affordable homes in urban areas is difficult. Land values are very high and land is in short

supply:

·Some developers are building on sites that have been built on before in the UK’ s inner cities. These are called brownfield sites. This has happened in many of the UK’ s inner cities.

·Other developers are building homes on the edge of the city on greenfield sites in the urban rural fringe. Land here is cheaper but greenfield development can cause conflict with local people and create environmental problems.

Sustainable Cities

Many people are working towards trying to make cities more sustainable. A sustainable city offers a good quality of life to current residents but doesn’ t reduce the opportunities for future residents to enjoy.

Key features of a sustainable city

·Resources and services in the city are accessible to all.

·Public transport is seen as a viable alternative to cars.

·Public transport is safe and reliable.

·Walking and cycling is safe.

·Areas of open space are safe, accessible and enjoyable.

·Wherever possible, renewable resources are used instead of non-renewable resources.

·Waste is seen as a resource and is recycled wherever possible.

·New homes are energy efficient.

·There is access to affordable housing.

·Community links are strong and communities work together to deal with issues such as crime and security.

·Cultural and social amenities are accessible to all.

·Inward investment is made to the CBD.

A sustainable city will grow at a sustainable rate and use resources in a sustainable way.

Think of the town or city you live in, or nearby.

·Could it be more sustainable?

·Do people walk, cycle or use public transport rather than cars?

·Are there enough safe open spaces, services and cultural amenities for everyone?

·Is there enough investment in the city centre?

·Is there a strong sense of community?

·Is waste recycled?

·Is there affordable housing for everyone?

·Are homes energy-efficient?

·Do they use renewable energy?