This Literature review will be focusing on the key issues regarding the living expectations of UK transport

Literature Review

Does UK public transport live up to expectations?

Only half of passengers are satisfied with the punctuality of buses and trains, according to a report published by the General Consumer Council, Translink and the Department of Regional Development. A late bus can make or break a passenger's day and the government want to see higher and more consistent standards on all buses and trains. Many passengers are disappointed about the late arrival of the buses and trains. This can lead to traffic and congestion because many people would take taxis or their own vehicles and less people would use the public transport. This would also effect the costs of keeping up the public transport because they government would have wages to pay etc. this is a disadvantage for the government because they are spending a lot of money on UK public transport and for them to have a fall in members of the community using the transport would be a great impact on the costs and profits. The UK's "crumbling" transport system is costing business up to £15bn a year, the British Chambers of Commerce says.

Crumbling transport communications is holding back British business. A study was carried out by the BBC and the result was that they found loss of a man hours due to poor infrastructure was a problem for 84% of firms, with 37% saying it had a significant impact on business. The survey was based on 2,000 responses. It found 99% of companies in the UK rely on roads for day-to-day business. After roads, the railways were the second most popular mode of transport, used by 66% of businesses, but rated as the third most important behind roads and aviation. There are many road works that occur on the motorway very often and this affects the communities’ social life as well as their work life. The study also found most companies had given the thumbs down to new measures to tackle congestion announced by the government in July, with only 2% saying they would be effective. Just 6% believe road pricing would actually reduce congestion, while 58% believed it would add to their red-tape burden. Mr Frost vowed to tackle the government about the problem saying: "Business is the foundation of the UK's economy, but this foundation is being undermined by poor transport links."

If I were to base the literature review only on this topic then I would say no UK public transport does not live up to expectations because the transport problems are affecting the public’s social life as well as their work life.

Reliable buses and trains are a simple and vital way of easing congestion on Britain's roads, campaign group Transport 2000 says. In this country there are too many people using their car, you get many young people taking their cars to university, you get people that work take their cars to work. What the government need to do is provide better alternatives - better public transportation, better opportunities for walking or cycling. And with that approach the government will be able to see a reduction in congestion. There are many environmental friendly groups who say that prosperity is coming at the expense of the environment. This is another disadvantage for UK transport because not many people will be using buses and trains to travel. Yes it would be appropriate but many people are use to life with their car e.g. woke up late in the morning and needed to get to work as soon as possible they are not going to go and catch a bus or train, they are going to use their cars.

Many accidents happen on the road and when they are caused by UK public transport many people would feel scared to go onto a bus or train. Luke Tanhai, 13, died of head injuries in September last year after he had been hanging on the outside of a bus. On the 21st September, jury at Cardiff Crown Court cleared driver Colin Haynes, 59, from Cardiff, of causing death by dangerous driving. The mother of the boy has said that serious changes needed to be made because two boys have died on public buses - something has to be put in place and that it cannot be ignored.  This is one of the cases that are very concerning.

Another case that happened last year in September, A man was charged with causing death by dangerous driving after a road accident in which a teenage boy died. Another case that has happened recently, two teenagers have died and a third is in a critical condition following a road accident in west Wales. The cases that I am reviewing the deaths are of teenagers or children. This accident took place on the B4315 road near Whitland and it was closed for six hours after the accident between a Land Rover and Volkswagen Golf around 1530 GMT on Saturday 20th November.04. The two teenagers that passed away where both very young the passenger was 12 and the driver was 18.

Two of the cases involve public transport. But the case that involves the two deaths of teenagers is not by public transport. This kind of news would make people realise that driving can be dangerous at times and it would convince them to take public transport because the good thing about public transport is that many people are around you and that they are in the same situation as you if anything was to happen and they would feel more comfortable and relaxed.

There are many disable people that have troubling travelling. They are members of the community so the public transport would be available to hem but a survey has showed that 3 out of 5 disable people have trouble using the public transport. Some people no longer choose to make the attempt of travelling, according to the Leonard Cheshire disability charity.

Research by the government found that around a quarter of disabled people found unreachable transport, which is a problem when they go away. More than 40% of wheelchair users found it limited their choice of what to do. Many of these problems have caused them not to do anything on Bank holidays. 60% of disable people believe that railway is heard to use so they have not used the railway lines. Trains and buses are all too often unreachable, which can make it difficult for those without their own cars to get to an airport or a ferry.

The chairman of Leonard Cheshire, Charles Morland, who is a wheelchair user, recently found himself stranded on a plane for two hours while waiting for the appropriate equipment to become available to enable him to exit the plane.

Leonard Cheshire policy manager Jo Campion said: "Inaccessible transport is one of the biggest obstacles in disabled people's lives. As a result, holidays can be a no go area. 

If I were to base the literature view only on this topic then again I would say NO UK transport does not live up to expectations.

Conclusion

No. UK public transport does not live up to expectations. There have been several issues raised throughout this literature review. There are many improvements that the government need to make. Disable people are treated equally as us but why are there many problems for them to use public transport?

The government can produce ramp to help them up the bus, the bus driver could be very helpful and help them up e.g. taxi drivers get out the driver seat and help an old pensioner, pregnant woman and disabled people to get into their seat why cant the bus drivers do that in order to help the public that need it.

Also there are too many people using their cars. What the government need to do is provide better alternatives - better public transportation, better opportunities for walking or cycling. And with that approach the government will be able to see a reduction in congestion. There are many schemes that the government can use to improve the expectations of the public.

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List of references

Websites 

 (21st November 2004)

 (14th November 2004)

 (22nd November 2004)

 (20th November 2004)

Textbooks

Emile Quinet and Roger Vickerman (2004) Principles of Transport Economics

H.K.Blessington (1995) Urban transport

R.W.Faulks (1982) Principles of Transport, third edition

John Whitelegg (1993) Transport for a sustainable future

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Bibliography

Textbooks

Emile Quinet and Roger Vickerman (2004) Principles of Transport Economics

Garrison Ward (2000) Tomorrow’s Transportation

H.K.Blessington (1995) Urban transport

Parkin and Sharma (1999) Infrastructure planning

R.W.Faulks (1982) Principles of Transport, third edition 

John Whitelegg (1993) Transport for a sustainable future

Journals

Transport risk models for hazardous materials: revisited. By: Erkut, Erhan; Ingolfsson, Armann. Operations Research Letters, Jan2005, Vol. 33 Issue 1, p81, 9p; DOI; 10.1016/j/orl.2004.02.006

Big changes for TDG and Hays Logistics. Logistics and transport focus, Nov 2004, Vol. 6 Issue 9, p4

Air quality and the environmental transport policy discourse in Oxford. By: Parkhurst, Graham. Transportation Research: Part D, Nov2004, Vol. 9 Issue 6, p419, 18p

Crash highlights Airline Safety Record. By: McKenna, Ed. Traffic World, 25/10/2004, Vol. 268 Issue 43, p31, 2/3p

Newspapers

Improving roads given priority

Travis Alan, The Guardian. Manchester (UK): Jan 31, 1989. p.6

Labour sets out plans to cut car use

Harper, Keith. The Guardian. Manchester (UK): Jun 21, 1996. p.16

Labour Unveils Transport Plan

Wintour, Patrick. The Guardian. Manchester (UK): Sep 29, 1989. p.2

Crash Obsequies are derailed by investment brawl

Rawnsley, Andrew. The Guardian. Manchester (UK): Mar 7, 1989. p.2

Websites 

 (21st November 2004)

 (14th November 2004)

 (22nd November 2004)

 (20th November 2004)

APPENDICES

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