Human Environments Unit

1. Human Environments Unit Urban change

2. The aspects of Urban Change that we will look at are Housing and Transport. By the end of this unit you will have an understanding of the following: • the need for management of an aspect of recent urban change in a • developed world city (Glasgow) and; • developing world city (Mumbai) • the management strategies employed • the impact of the management strategies

3. Learning Intentions To understand why Glasgow has had to manage change of its transport system. Explain what strategies Glasgow has used and be able to discuss the impact of these strategies.

4. Glasgow’s CBD is the oldest part of the city and has therefore seen more change than any zone of the city. While it is not just the CBD that has seen changes to transport, it is here we see it most clearly. The reasons why Glasgow has had to manage change of its transport system is because: • Car ownership has increased dramatically over the past few decades leading to increased congestion as well as an increase in CO² emissions. • Main roads such as Duke Street, lead into Glasgow’s CBD. They are designed this way as the CBD contains the most shops, offices and entertainments. • The city’s Grid iron street pattern was designed for the horse and cart not for cars. As a result there are many junctions which increase queuing and congestion. These narrow roads are not suitable for modern traffic movements.

5. Glasgow OS Map Glasgow OS Map 1

7. Due to the heavy traffic use roads often deteriorate and have potholes. This means that road works are common creating delays. • Glasgow’s CBD attracts many people to shop and work. It therefore means that there are many cars, buses and taxis that use the roads. • Parked cars narrow the roads and restrict traffic flow. • Many shops mean that many lorries making deliveries block the streets and cause traffic problems. • Lots of taxis and buses stopping causing delays. • Large volumes of pedestrians mean lots of traffic lights and pedestrian crossings causing traffic delays.

8. This creates many major problems such as: • increased traffic congestion results in deliveries being late, people arriving to work late and emergency services being delayed resulting in possible loss of life. • It also leads to frustration amongst drivers and increases road accidents. Exhaust fumes from stationary vehicles increase air pollution to dangerous levels. • Air pollutants from transport include nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide which have a damaging impact on the health of people. • Hope Street in Glasgow is Scotland’s most polluted street. • http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-25895007

9. Traffic Management strategies and the impact of these changes • The M8 and more recently the M74 extension pass close to the CBD and take ‘through traffic’ away from the centre reducing congestion. • Impact: For years the Kingston Bridge became a bottle neck and became a new centre for congestion. The M74 extension in 2013 has reduced this on the M8 and Kingston Bridge. A downside of building these motorways is that it destroyed thousands of houses and people had to be relocated. • Pedestrianised zones (Sauchiehall St., Buchanan St., Argyll St). The streets were partly pedestrianised from the 1960’s to alter traffic movement through the city. • Impact: A safer place for shoppers and less traffic in central areas. • Most roads in the CBD are made one way to reduce congestion at junctions and improves the flow of traffic on the narrow streets. • Impact: This works well because you can get 2 or 3 lanes of traffic going in one direction increasing the flow. However, drivers can often find it difficult to get around the city when unfamiliar.

10. Bus lanes and cycle lanes have been provided on most main routes into the CBD. Impact: Buses can travel from outwith Glasgow into the CBD far quicker than before and it provides a safer alternative to those who want to cycle. However, travellers are inconvenienced if services are late or cancelled. • Multi Storey car parks in shopping centres such as the Buchanan Galleries and St Enoch Centre. Impact: keeps parked cars off the street freeing up roads. However, it can be expensive to park in city centre car parks. • Glasgow has the biggest city train network outside of London, making it easy to reach without a car. There is an underground network as well as Central Station and Queens Street station. Impact: Allows efficient travel for people all over west central Scotland in and out of Glasgow. http://news.stv.tv/west-central/265321-images-released-of-queen-street-stations-104m-redevelopment/

11. Restricted parking – Single and double yellow lines keep streets clear for maximum traffic to flow. Single yellow lines in residential streets allow parking at night when traffic is light. Impact: Allows more effective flow of traffic. • Park and ride schemes outside the CBD where you leave your car for a small fee and take public transport into the city centre. Impact: This has been effective in encouraging the use of public transport and therefore reducing the amount of cars on the road. However, regular increases in fares discourage people. • The new Mass Automated Cycle Hire (MACH) scheme has installed bikes stationed at 31 permanent locations across the city, where people can rent out bikes. This is to encourage people to use bikes and reduce congestion and pollution. Impact: This is a new initiative which appears to be successful but is still too early to assess properly. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-27984471

12. Q3.For Glasgow, or any named developed world city you have studied, explain schemes which have been introduced to reduce problems of trafficmanagement in the Central Business District. 5

13. Exam Style Question • For a city in the developed world you have studied: • Explain the techniques used to combat traffic congestion; and consider • To what extent these techniques have been effective?

14. Learning Intentions To understand why Glasgow had to manage it’s housing problem. Explain what strategies Glasgow has used to manage it’s housing problem and to be able to evaluate the impact of the strategies used.

15. Why has Glasgow had to manage change to the housing in its Inner City? During the 1800s, the population of Glasgow grew by around 700,000 people. To house this huge influx of migrants from rural areas in Scotland and from countries such as Ireland, hundreds of blocks of tenements were built. As more and more people moved into Glasgow in the 1900s, flats were divided up (3 bed flats into 1). By the 1950s, areas like the Gorbals were seriously overcrowded. The Gorbals housed around 90,000 people and had some of the worst slum conditions in western Europe. Glasgow had to address this housing problem and has tried various things. Tenements

16. In the 1960s Glasgow tried to replace the tenements through Comprehensive Redevelopment Policy. In doing this they replaced the tenements with high rise flats. • This did not prove to be a successful policy. This was because: • Tower blocks were badly built and soon started to fall apart. • Lifts were often not working or very dirty and unhealthy. • They were poorly designed with unlit areas that encouraged crime.

17. They became magnets for drugs, crime and gang warfare. • The old communities had been destroyed and there was little community spirit (also encourages crime) • By the 1980’s they were being knocked down and replaced • More recent changes to managing housing problems have proved more successful. • Glasgow Eastern Area Renewal Scheme (G.E.A.R) (Parkhead) • (1970’s and 80’s) • GEAR is an example of urban regeneration rather than redevelopment: • Tenements were renovated (new windows, wiring, plumbing and security doors) • Areas were landscaped to make them more attractive.

18. Buildings were sandblasted to improve their appearance • Small industrial estates were created to provide local jobs • Community centres were built to provide leisure facilities. The Parkhead Forge was also built on reclaimed old industrial land to give locals jobs and amenities. Impact: Ultimately this was a far more successful policy as communities are still together, people are returning to the East End of Glasgow and unemployment was lower than in some other areas. The government had learned from the mistakes of the 1960’s.

19. The Gentrification Process This is when affluent people move into an area in the Inner City or at the edge of the CBD buying houses or property because of the close proximity to the CBD. Many of these parts are now occupied by professionals who work in the CBD and want to live near by. Areas which 15 –20 years ago were suffering from urban decay are now very desirable places to live e.g. The Merchant City, Clydeside, Trongate and even the Gorbals. This regeneration in Glasgow has been extensive in many areas and has seen high rise flats and tenements been demolished and replaced with new lower density housing as well as the refurbishment of existing tenements (Merchant City). Landscaping has improved the appearance of some parts and shops and leisure facilities have been built to make it a desirable place to live. Impact: This has ultimately had a positive impact in areas of Glasgow which previously was suffering urban decay. These areas are now much more desirable and provide a more positive look for Glasgow to visitors.

20. New housing in the Gorbals New flats at Trongate Houses on Clydeside Sports Centre, Gorbals

21. Commonwealth Games 2014 • The Commonwealth Games in 2014 was the largest multi-sport event ever held in Scotland. The most significant changes have been in the East end of the City. Several billion pounds have been spent on: • Improved transport infrastructure (including the previously mentioned M74) • A refurbished railway station at Dalmarnock. • New Recreation and sports facilities such as a National Indoor Sports Arena and Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome as well as the upgrading of the TollcrossAquacentre to have an Olympic sized pool and seating for 1000 people.

22. Around 2,500 houses have been built in the Athletes Village. Some of these houses have been sold to locals as well as given over for rental. This has improved the housing and made the place more desirable. This regeneration of one of the poorest areas of Glasgow is the most ambitious yet and is aimed at changing the area for good. http://www.citylegacy.co.uk/ Impact: The area has been transformed with new road layouts and better housing. It will be several years before the impact of this can be evaluated but early signs are very encouraging.

24. Background to Mumbai Mumbai (formerly known as Bombay) is what is known as a Megacity on the west coast of India. It is the country’s capital city and has a population of almost 20 million people. This huge increase in recent times has caused huge pressure on the city’s transport and housing systems.

25. Learning Intentions To understand why Mumbai has had to manage change of its transport system. Explain what strategies Mumbai has used and be able to discuss the impact of these strategies.

26. The reasons why Mumbai has had to manage change of its transport system is because: • The Geography of Mumbai makes it a challenge. It is made up of a group of 7 islands on the west coast of India. • There is a large concentration of all the commercial, admin and industry to the south of Mumbai. • The population of Mumbai has grown so rapidly and continues to do so. It is estimated that the city has grown by around 5 million in the past 15 years. • The old infrastructure has been unable to cope with the increase in population. Around 6 million people travel by train every day! • The tram system of the early sixties was dismantled, a decision that was made rather short-sightedly. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CB5yxw3cUjI

27. As people in Mumbai become more affluent more cars are being bought. While there are only 1.8 million registered cars at present, around 450 new ones are registered every day. • Traffic jams are caused by: • narrow roads • Parked vehicles. • Huge number of potholes caused by heavy rain during the monsoon season. • No proper drainage system leaving roads flooded. • Solutions such as the Bandra Worli Sealink (see later) have increased traffic into the CBD • Poor lane discipline also interrupts the traffic flow.

28. Rickshaws (similar to taxis), were introduced to replace victorias in Mumbai. Unfortunately with around 300,000 on the road, congestion increased as well as air and noise pollution levels. Auto Rickshaw Victoria

29. This creates the same sort of problems as all cities such as: • Major traffic congestion. This can result in serious accidents and deaths on the roads in Mumbai • Exhaust fumes from stationary vehicles increase air pollution to dangerous levels. This mixed with hot air can cause serious pollution issues and ultimately ill health. • Many roads are in a poor state of disrepair. Potholes are a serious issue caused by excess traffic, monsoon rains and poor construction. http://www.ndtv.com/video/player/news/mumbai-s-civic-body-rushes-to-fill-potholes-after-rains-stop/284500

30. Traffic Management strategies and the impact of these changes Mumbai Monorail • The Mumbai Monorail is a monorail system which the first of four lines was opened on 1 February 2014. It is the first monorail in India. It is estimated that once complete, it will have cost almost $1 billion. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mO-_-jIF-qo Impact: It will decrease the pressure on the roads and the rail networks by offering an alternative. However, fares have put some people off using it. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-25974995

31. Mumbai metro project • In January 2004, a master transit plan was unveiled to build a new metro system. The plan integrated a 146 kilometre-long metro system, of which 32 km would be underground. The 3 high-capacity lines, will be completed by 2021. The first section was opened in June 2014 and can carry 1.5 million passengers a day. Impact: The system is designed to reduce traffic congestion in the city, and supplement the existing, but severely overcrowded Mumbai Suburban Railway network. The full impact will not be known until all 3 phases are complete in 2021.

32. 3. Bandra – Worli Sealink http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVJGxnfrWno This toll bridge was fully opened in 2010 and cost around $300 million to build. It is an 8 lane bridge (4 in each direction) connecting the busy south of Mumbai with the suburbs. Impact: The sea-link has significantly reduced travel time between Bandra and Worli during peak hours from 60–90 minutes to 20–30 minutes. However, the bridge has allowed increased traffic to get to the CBD and increase congestion. It has not taken cars off the road.

33. Car pooling Mumbai's Regional Transport Authority has recently recommended car pooling. Using websites it encourages people to car share with others to reduce traffic. Because regulations prevent a private motorist from charging for lifts, the authorities invented a plan to encourage people to share cars by allowing each driver to receive petrol vouchers when giving a lift, irrespective of the distance. Impact: It has been relatively successful. Many are reluctant to share with strangers but estimates say that there are around 10% less vehicles on the roads because of this scheme. It therefore reduces congestion and pollution. http://www.carpooling.in/search/regular/in-Mumbai

34. Causes of Housing Problems in Mumbai • The population of Mumbai has increased by around 5 million over the past 15 years. Slide 29 • People are attracted to Mumbai as it known as “The gateway to India” so it is where most industry is set up meaning employment for those moving from rural areas. • There is a high level of natural increase within Mumbai itself through high birth rates. • Pull factors attract people from neighbouring states. Mumbais booming economy means that migrants come for job opportunities in the expanding industries, financial institutions and administration. All of this leads to huge problems of slum housing

35. Learning Intentions To understand why Mumbai had to manage it’s housing problem. Explain what strategies Mumbai has used to manage it’s housing problem and to be able to evaluate the impact of the strategies used.

36. Problems caused by Urban Growth in Mumbai While there are some very rich people living in million-pound apartments , the majority of people live in squatter camps or shanty towns. Squatter camps • These are areas where people settle on land which they do not own or rent. This is where the poorest people are found. • The accommodation is nothing more than a basic, makeshift shelter, often made of plastic sheeting and wooden poles. • It has no amenities eg toilets or water and the authorities do not provide any services like schools or rubbish collection. • Many people catch diseases because of the poor conditions. • Squatter camps are usually found on pavements of streets near the centre or at the edge of the city along main roads. • The sites are often unsafe eg marshy and mosquito ridden.

37. Shanty Towns • Some squatter camps grow till they become shanty towns e.g. Dharavi (pop – over 1 million). • http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/world/06/dharavi_slum/html/dharavi_slum_intro.stm • Some dwellings have brick walls and tin roofs. Water is supplied by standpipes which many families share. Sometimes the local authority provides community toilets or latrines. • In some shanty towns there are small industries and workshops. • There are over a million people living here in a very small space. • Open sewage and rotting waste are everywhere which causes health problems. • Although the houses are very crowded some of them are clean and have been there for many years.

38. There are areas for different groups e.g. the pottery making area. • Some millionaire businessmen work in the shanty e.g. recycling plastics

39. Solutions to Mumbai’s Housing Problems 1. Dharavi Redevelopment Project http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtkvsNUVF5Y Modern High rise flats Proper roads Landscaped areas All housing has sewage, water and electricity Shopping Malls Expensive apartments Office blocks

40. The Dharavi Redevelopment Project was drawn up in 2004 and was expected to be completed by 2013 but has yet to be properly started despite having been approved by the authorities. Features of the project include: • Each family will receive a 21-square metre apartment with water, sewerage and electricity. This will only be available to those who have been residents since 2000. • The project will take around 7 years to complete and will be paid for by private companies, not the city of Mumbai. It will cost around $2 billion to complete • The scheme will provide some expensive housing, as well as offices and shopping malls. Impact: • Not everyone will be re-housed. Due to the close proximity to Mumbai’s financial district the value of land is high. This means that redevelopment for cheap housing is under threat. http://gu.com/p/47mk5

41. Many families are currently living above their workshops which would not be possible in the new housing. • Many of these workshops, such as metalworking will be banned under new laws on pollution. • There will not be enough space for pottery and recycling which are the biggest employers. • Many argue that ordinary people of Dharavi will not be helped. They believe that the poorest will be squeezed out to accommodate the rich. 2. Self-improvement plan There is no other plan on the table for Dharavi but evidence from other Developing World cities would suggest self-help schemes involving locals would prove most successful. This plan could include: • A formal group of residents to persuade the authorities to give them ownership of the land. • They could design their own improvements, including: • More toilets • Water supply • Building a second floor onto buildings (work space)

42. The range of skills held by the residents could help carry out the improvements reducing any costs. Impact: this would cost less tnan the $2 billion needed in the redevopment plan. It would allow the thousands of businesses to continue and bring the improvements that residents want. It would also bring the community together and keep them together. This is a bigger problem than any UK city has ever had to face and Dharavi is just one of the many shanty towns in Mumbai. Mumbai authorities simply don’t have the money to redevelop this themselves. They either have to give the residents some money and let them help themselves or they get help from the huge resources from wealthy people and companies within Mumbai and the rest of India.

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