Overall, the environmental quality survey suggests that the changes in quality occur with a change in the location. The survey shows that a pedestrianised area has a much better environment then a road. This could also be a reflection of the types of people that use these different areas.
Questionnaire - Chapter 2
The aim of this task is to determine what type of people, locals, students, or visitors/tourists use the Central Business District. By analysing the different groups of people, it will give a greater knowledge of the functions of the CBD. The questionnaire was completed in order to see what type of people used the CBD and for what reason. 23 people were questioned and the questions asked were:
- Would you describe yourself as a local person, student, a visitor, or other?
- Where is your home?
Results
The results of the questionnaire are as follows:
There was one person who was a commuter from a nearby town.
The results show that there are slightly more locals then tourists. However, three factors could have affected the results that were obtained. The survey was:
- Completed at lunchtime
- Completed at the beginning of the tourist season
- Completed at the end of the academic year.
These factors meant that the results could be different from the results of a survey that would be conducted at another time.
40% of the people were locals when the questionnaire was completed. These people may have been out and going to lunch on their break as the questions were asked during lunchtime. They could also have been using the town’s services such as the bank or post office or to visit a friend whilst on their break.
30% of the people were students at the time. These students could have also been looking for lunch or maybe some o them worked part-time in the CBD. As it was the end of the academic year, students may have been on study leave, which meant that they were taking exams. They could have been out looking for a book for their studies or maybe they were working part time.
26% of the people were tourists. This group of people may have used the area to shop and eat in the various restaurants that are in the CBD. Also, as it was the beginning of the tourist season, there may have been a different number of tourists then if the questionnaire was conducted at another time of year. On the River Cam, the punts attract a lot of tourism to the area, and this may be the reason for the amount of tourists in the area.
Only 1 person (4%), was a commuter from a nearby town, who may have used the services offered in the CBD such as banking and the food and entertainment facilities/
Overall the largest group was locals, followed by students, then tourists, and then one other person, the reasons for which have been explained above.
The results gathered from the questionnaire were not the ones that were expected. The CBD of Cambridge has many colleges, however, the ratio of students to other users (locals, tourists, and commuters) was lower then expected. This may have been this way because the survey was carried out at the end of the academic year, meaning that students were taking exams.
The time of day and the time of year may have affected the results greatly. The questionnaire was completed at lunchtime and it was the end of the academic year and the beginning of the tourist season. This meant that the questionnaire might have shown higher levels of a certain user group then others.
Overall the questionnaire results could have been affected by the above factors, therefore, changing the results that would have normally been expected.
The Journey By Punt
This chapter takes amok at what is seen when on a punt on the River Cam. The river is 27 miles long and Cambridge gets its name from it. The river originally was used to bring goods in and out on barges. Also food was bought in from various farms and sold in the market, which is still there today. Now the river is used for recreation, for colleges and for tourists. The beautiful views and environment attract people from all over the world.
The journey begins from quayside punt station where the shops look very attractive and it is quiet. When the punt sets off, Magdalene Bridge passes overhead. Magdalene College is also there; it was founded in 1428 and was the last college in Cambridge to accept female students.
The next site is St. Johns College, which was founded in 1511 and built in memory of Henry the 8th s mother. The clock tower has a missing clock because they had a fight for it with Trinity College to see who could build the tower first.
The Bridge of Sighs is named after the famous bridge in Venice. Its name definitely reflects on its use as a link between the halls of residence and the exam halls.
The college with the largest university court in the world is next to pass by. Henry 8th founded Trinity College in 1546. Sir Christopher Wren designed the library and it contains the original manuscripts of Winnie the Pooh. Famous students include Sir Isaac Newton and Lord Byron; it is also the richest university in Cambridge.
The celebration of graduation is held in the Mayball tents, which is the next building. The tickets are naturally very expensive and cost 100 to 200 pounds each.
The Gareth Coastal Bridge passes by next and it is special because it is the only bridge that can be accessed by the public. The environment here is really pleasant apart from the odd piece of litter. Claire College was founded in 1326 and re-founded in 1338; it is the oldest college in Cambridge.
Henry the 6th founded Kings College in 1440. It has a beautiful chapel with the oldest stain glass windows. Rupert Brook was a famous student. Next comes Queens College, which was founded in 1448 by two queens. They were, Margaret Anjou, the wife of King Henry 6th and Elizabeth Woodwill the wife of Edward the 4th.
The famous mathematical bridge passes by next. It was only held together by pegs. Students took it apart and they rebuilt it in 1902 after 2 years of hard work. Now, for safety reasons, it is held together by iron nuts and bolts.
The last college is Darwin’s College, which was founded in 1863. It was purpose built for graduates who wished to go no teaching. The buildings include Newnham Grange, the former home of Charles Darwin. This is the last site in the journey. The punt then turns around at the Mill Pit. There is a selection of cafes, bars, and restaurants there.
The return journey gives the chance to admire the stunning environment. There are plenty of trees, which overhang along the banks of the River, shading the people in the punts from the glowing sun. The college grounds are very open and the buildings, which have kept their traditional look, are very attractive.
The River Cam was used mainly for fishing. In 1950, there were plenty of fish in the river but then pesticides from nearby farms killed them off. The River has now again been made a lot cleaner and pike and carp can now be seen, however, students have not stopped littering the river. The tourists are also using the punts for recreational use. They are chauffeured along the river, and usually enjoy a meal whilst on the punt. The tourists have also contributed to the Littering of the river.
Various observations were made on the river, Colleges, and Bridges in the area. They had an overall attractive environment and the river also attracted many tourists to the area. They could enjoy the views and peacefulness of the area.
The punts are a very important industry in Cambridge. They create jobs in the area and are used by many people. It brings a lot of income into Cambridge.
Over the years the function of the river has changed dramatically. From the days when barges dominated the scene to the times when fishermen were common. Now, though, the River Cams main function is tourism as well as transport routes through the backs. This may have changed because roads are now used to bring goods in and out of the CBD. Lorries can transport a lot more in a shorter space of time. Cambridge now has a main function of tourism and the River Cam has contributed to this significantly.
Urban Land Use Survey – Chapter 3
This chapter aims to compare how land is used in the centre of Cambridge against the land use in the Grafton Centre. This was done by observing the shops and premises in the area. They were counted and then the land use was classified in accordance to the land use classification sheet enclosed. The results will be collected on a pie chart and then they will be analysed.
Results:
CAMBRIDGE CBD
GRAFTON CENTRE
The land use in both areas is very similar. The first class of land use is industry (number 1) and there are no areas in the Central Business District and the Grafton Centre that are industrial. This is because industrial areas tend to be in the outer city where generally the land is much cheaper and more suitable for this purpose.
The CBD had no empty blocks of land (number 2). This was because all the shops were in high competition for this area as it attracts most people. The Grafton Centre had two empty blocks; this may have been because they were on sale.
In both areas there are no convenience shops. These types of shops are usually located in the residential areas where customers only visit for convenience reasons such as buying the newspaper or milk. They sell low order goods which people are unlikely to travel far for. Also there was evidence of these types of shops in the outskirts (St. Andrews Street). Examples of convenience shops are Newsagents and butchers.
There are quite a few specialist shops in the area that sell high-order goods which people are likely to travel far for. There are lots of food and entertainment facilities, as many people whom work in the CBD would have used them to eat. Also tourists would have used them during lunchtime and there were a wide variety of them. Specialist shops include shops such as sports stores and chemists.
There are fast food, pubs, and exotic restaurants that lead to the River Cam. Also in the Grafton Centre there were many food places as people who go there can do all their shopping in one place and also have a meal whilst they shop. These include theatres and cinemas.
There are no comparison shops in the CBD. This may be because they require a lot of space to display their goods in the display cases. They are more likely to be found in shopping centres where land prices are cheaper. Comparison goods shops are shops that are likely to sell high order goods that you are likely to replace after using it such as computers and televisions.
There are plenty of chain stores in the CBD and in the Grafton Centre ass these stores can afford the land prices. There were fewer chain stores in the CBD then the Grafton Centre because the CBD is meant to look more attractive and so it may have different shops. Chain stores include shops such as Boots and Argos.
There are no public buildings in the Grafton centre as the main purpose of it is shopping. In the CBD there were many colleges and they took up almost half the land space in the CBD. They include Colleges, Libraries, and Tourist offices.
There are many commercial premises such as banks and post offices in the CBD but there is only one in the Grafton Centre, which is a bank so that people can get money out whilst shopping. They are near the offices, residential and working areas and are located in the centre where they have to pay the high rent prices to gain customers.
The survey has told us that the land use varies across the urban area vastly. There are factors that could have contributed to the results and they are:
- Access to a wide population
- Amount of space needed
- Land prices
The land use was different in the Grafton Centre then the CBD. There are colleges in the CBD and not in the Grafton Centre because of the purpose of the Grafton Centre. It has been designed only for shopping.
Transect Diagram - Chapter 5
The aim of this chapter is to observe what the functions are along two main roads in the Central Business District, St. Andrews Street, and Sidney Street. The original functions in Cambridge were that it was a market town where people came and sold their traditional goods. They used the River Cam to transport their goods into Cambridge. Cambridge developed around the river so more people moved into the area. As Cambridge continued to grow the functions expanded and changed.
The present day functions of Cambridge are:
- Tourism,
- Education
- Commercial (shops and offices)
Cambridge is a World Heritage Site, which means that it is recognised by the United Nations as a place of special interest.
St. Andrews Street and Sidney Street had a variety of functions. The main function is obviously commercial as outlined in the Transect Diagram. There are also many colleges in the area. The colleges on the streets are St. Johns College, Trinity College, St. Andrews College, and Emmanuel College. Also there are several chain stores in the area along with department stores and food and entertainment.
The first street is St. Andrews Street, which is accessible by cars. It has a range of different shops all of which take up a significant amount of space. There are plenty of chain stores such as Dixons, Sony centre, and Maplins. There are some food and entertainment shops such as McDonalds and a Pub that is used by the locals on their lunch break, the tourists, and the students.
The second street is Sidney Street and it has a vast amount of chain store. It, unlike the other street has one Department store, which is Marks and Spencer. It takes up a lot of space but it can also afford the high rent prices that are demanded in the area. The street is very similar to St. Andrews Street except that it is pedestrianised.
The two streets are very similar and they because they are basically on the same stretch of road. They both have a similar ratio of the different types of shops. The main difference is the Sidney Street has a department store because it is pedestrinised and this makes it easier for the shoppers to access it. If they were on a road with traffic it will be difficult to get to the shop.
The aim of the chapter was to see what the functions along the two streets were. The main functions on both streets are commercial such as shopping and banking. There are colleges on the streets making the function an educational one also. There are some food and entertainment outlets in which people can go and enjoy themselves and have a meal after they shop.
By completing the Transect Diagram, there is now a greater understanding of what Central Cambridge is like.
Research for Ilford -- land Use Survey
Exchange Ilford
Ilford High Road
Questionnaire results Ilford:
Locals - 19
Tourists - 0
Students - 0
Other - 4
Question 2: How is Cambridge Similar to Central Ilford?
The aim of this chapter is to outline and discuss the similarities between two urban areas, Central Ilford and Cambridge, so that a greater understanding of City Centres can be achieved. It will test the hypothesis, not all town and city centres are the same. Results from geographical skills will be used to complete the task.
An environmental survey, questionnaire, land use survey will be carried out for Ilford to compare different aspects. The journey by punt could not be performed, as the River Roding in Ilford is not used for recreation.
Cambridge and Central Ilford have many similarities. First of all, the environment in both areas varied across the urban area. Ilford lane scored a total of 19 in the environmental quality survey. This is similar to East Road and St. Andrews Street in Cambridge, as the quality of the environment in these areas was generally poor. These areas are noisy. Ilford lane is noisy because of the traffic, which means that buses, lorries, and cars dominated the roads. Also the vast amount of convenience shops on Ilford Lane means that there are loads of people making noise. This is similar to Cambridge as its main purpose is to take traffic in and out of the Central Business District.
The buildings are more functional then attractive. In Ilford Lane the shops are very busy and there is less time to properly maintain the shop fronts. St. Andrews Street has the same problem.
There is litter, dirt, and graffiti in every area in both centres. Ilford Lane, and Ilford High Road are similar to East Road and St. Andrews Street. Ilford Lane, despite having many rubbish bins, is polluted with litter, which is normally dumped on the kerb where it will be collected some time. Also, as there are loads of people eating and drinking things from the many restaurants, the litter increases because people do not use the rubbish bins provided. This was also the scene in some places in Cambridge.
Valentines Park and Parkers Piece were quite similar but Valentines Park is further from the CBD in Ilford. They are quiet, attractive, clean, and comfortable and have plenty of trees to improve the appearance of the park. Many people use them but they are respected and are kept clean and litter free so that everyone can enjoy the excellent environment in these parks.
The areas that scored well in Cambridge and Ilford urban areas have generally good environmental qualities. Ilford High Road and Sidney Street are quite similar. Ilford High Road Is pedestrianised but some of it allows traffic. It is busy, but it is also quiet, has good air quality, and has a few trees and plants. People who use the environment respect the area.
Litter in the area is low because there are many council bins which are used frequently, however near the restaurants, where people are likely to get a take-away, there is quite a lot of litter. This was also the scene in Cambridge on Sidney Street.
The overall similarity of environment is that in both areas, the quality varies. It only changes across the urban area of Cambridge and Central Ilford.
The exchange, although it is not an out of town shopping centre, is similar to the Grafton centre in Cambridge because it has the biggest percentage of chain stores. Also in both areas there are no convenience shops because people do not go to a large shopping centre to buy low order goods such as bread and the newspaper.
Also on Ilford High Road the main type of shops is chain stores, which is the same as the CBD in Cambridge.
There are only a few department stores in both areas, 1 % in both areas are department stores. As the main function of the Grafton Centre, Cambridge CBD, The Exchange, and Ilford High Road are commercial and shopping areas. They are similar in this manner because the same functions mean the same type of users, but the users are different as explained in the next chapter.
The Hypothesis for this piece of work is not all city and town centres are the same. The above similarities between the two areas make it obvious that that there are actually relationships between the two areas. The environmental quality does vary throughout the urban area of both Ilford and Cambridge, and many areas have similar levels of noise, air pollution, and stress.
The roads are also similar as they have the various tasks of taking traffic in and out of the CBD. Also each of the urban areas has a variety of functions. The overall functions change in Cambridge and Ilford but some are also similar. For example, shopping is a major source function in both areas. Overall the environmental quality and land use are similar in Ilford and Cambridge.
Question 3: How is Cambridge different from Central Ilford?
The aim of this chapter is to outline the main differences between Central Ilford and Cambridge. The research that was completed will be used to highlight the main differences between the areas and therefore prove the hypothesis not all city and town centres are the same.
There are a lot of differences between the two areas. The functions of the two areas are also different because Ilford Town Centre is mainly for shopping and not for shopping and education like Cambridge. The environmental quality and the users are different for Cambridge and central Ilford.
There are no tourists in Central Ilford but there are in Cambridge as it is a World Heritage Site, which means that it is a site recognised by the UN of special interest. There are no tourists in Ilford because it has not got the same tourist element as Cambridge. In Cambridge, there is a river, which is used for recreation, and the tourists use it. In Ilford the River Roding is not used for recreation.
In Cambridge there are many universities but in Ilford there are no universities so there are not many students that are using the area. This is a major difference because having different users means that the function may also be different. Also, in Central Ilford there is a Library and in Cambridge the Libraries are part of the universities.
Ilford does not have Cycle Lanes because hardly anyone in Ilford commutes to work on a cycle. There fore there are no cycle lanes. In Cambridge, however, there are plenty of cyclists and the area has developed around this. In Ilford people use Public Transport and there are only a few bicycle lanes and racks.
The overall environment in Cambridge is much better then Ilford because Cambridge has to keep its tourist attractions well maintained. The people of Cambridge respect this aspect to keep the tourist industry in Cambridge going.
The users of Ilford were also different. This may have been because Ilford does not have an out of town shopping centre and this means that people that there would be more visitors to the area to do their shopping. They do not have anywhere out of town to go so they use the Exchange.
Cambridge and Ilford have many differences. This helps to show that the hypothesis not all city and town centres are the same is true. There are no tourists in Ilford and this is the main difference between the two areas. Also there are not many students as there are no colleges in Ilford. There are schools but they are a considerable distance away from the CBD. The colleges in Cambridge are in the CBD and so the students will have to go through it to get to the colleges. This chapter proves that not all city centres are the same as there are many differences between Cambridge and Ilford.
Conclusion
The aim of this piece of coursework was to test the hypothesis, and answer the three questions:
- What is Central Cambridge like?
- How is Cambridge similar to Central Ilford?
- How is Cambridge different to Central Ilford?
By collecting, recording and analysing the evidence the hypothesis can now be answered.
From writing this piece of coursework, it is now evident that the hypothesis is correct and that not all city and town centres are the same. The main differences between Cambridge and Ilford were that the functions of the two places were different. Cambridge had a commercial and educational function but Ilford had a mainly commercial one.
Also, the users of the two areas were different, because of the different functions. The CBD in Cambridge has many colleges and so the users of the CBD will be students. However, there were anomalous results for the questionnaire due to the time of day and year that the questions were asked.
In spite of this, from studying Cambridge and Ilford, it has become obvious that there are many similarities between city and town centres. The environments in both areas were basically the same and they both varied across the urban area. There were also some places in both areas that scored high and low.
The outcome of the surveys may have been different if the surveys had been conducted in other areas. They depended on the users of the land and the functions of the CBD. The users may have been different if the survey was conducted during school time and not lunchtime when people are looking for a place to eat.
The overall answer to the piece f coursework is that not all city and town centres are the same. There are similarities and differences but they are never the same.
Evaluation
I found this piece of coursework interesting because of the various surveys that we undertook. Some parts were easy because we had to give the environment a score from 1 to 5, and this was very interesting.
Whilst I was conducting the questionnaire, the people were very busy and they were trying to get around quickly. If they had stopped and answered the questionnaire I could have had better results.
The best part of this coursework was the land use survey because we had to measure the frontage of the shops and it was fascinating. I found the environmental quality survey difficult at times because the areas surveyed were very hard to judge under the given aspects.
If I had more time I would have improved the environmental quality survey to get a better understanding of what Cambridge and Ilford are like. I could do this by looking into the environment more carefully. I also could have surveyed more places.
Overall I found the coursework very interesting as I had the chance to see what Cambridge was like and I also got the chance to compare it to where I live. This has given me a better understanding of town centres.
