Transport in britain

Vocabulary notes

essential – существенный, важный

feature – черта, особенность

labour – труд, работа, рабочий класс

communication – коммуникация, связь

expand – расширять

principal – главный, основной

carrier – перевозчик

rival – конкурент

delivery – поставка, доставка

junction – железнодорожный узел, перекресток

civil – гражданский

cope – справиться

face – сталкиваться

decline – упадок, ухудшаться, приходить в упадок

pattern – система, структура

network – сеть

link – соединять, связывать

recent – недавний

handle – управлять, регулировать

internal – внутренний

favourable – благоприятный

radiate – расходиться из центра

delay – откладывать, задерживать

motorway – шоссе

crossroad – пересекающая дорога, перекресток

Read and translate the text.

T e x t 6A

Transport in Britain

The easy movement of goods and people is an essential feature of a modern industrialized country, such as the United Kingdom. Agricultural and industrial products must be moved to markets and ports, just as raw materials and labour must be transported to the factories. Within Britain, these functions are carried out by a complex transport system that has developed slowly over several centuries.

Today, as in the recent past emphasis is placed not only upon ease of communications, but also on speed of communications. This has been achieved not only by the use of freight aircraft, but the development of high-speed motorways.

In the Middle Ages, river transport played a major role in the British internal transport system, because all the large towns of the time were situated on navigable rivers. Moreover, the quality of roads was so bad that attention was turned to river navigation. This emphasis on water transport was increased during the great period of canal construction during the latter part of the 18th century. By 1830 there were about 10,000 kilometers of canals and "improved" rivers in Britain. However, river navigation suffered from a number of problems including silting, summer drought and the fact that a number of industrial areas, including Birmingham, were not on navigable rivers. The construction of the railways after 1880 meant the gradual decline of waterways, many canals were no longer used for commercial traffic, but for pleasure boating.

The impetus for the development of railway communications came from the expanding coal trade of the early 19th century. Railways were speedier, in many respects more flexible and also were a more convenient means of transporting goods to and from the ports in foreign trade, or exporting ports. Most of the early railways were all built to link coalfields with expanding industrial areas. The first public railway, between Stockton and Darlington, was opened in 1825, in northern England.

As industrialization continued the canals were found inadequate to cope with the volume of traffic and railways were built to cope with the problem. Gradually railways took the place of the canals, and towns grew up and developed at railway junctions and along the main lines. Railways were becoming efficient carriers of passengers, either those travelling on business or on holiday. By the middle of the 19th century through rail links had been established between the major cities and towns of Britain – London, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, York, Leeds, Newcastle, Brighton, Southampton, Exeter, Bristol.

During the 19th century and the early years of the 20th century the railways were the principal carriers of both freight and passengers. But the invention of the internal combustion engine introduced a rival means of transport – an automobile.

As roads were improved, and motor vehicles became faster, more reliable and more numerous, with the advantage of door-to-door delivery, many railway lines lost traffic and became uneconomic to run. On the longer internal routes, the railways lost passengers to civil airlines. All through the present century they have faced increasing competition from road transport. This has resulted in a decline in the importance of the railways and the closure of many lines and stations.

The pattern of roads in Britain still bears traces of the Roman road network, although the modern network is really a product of the last two centuries. This road system was quite unplanned. Built, in the first place, to link settlements, such roads formed long distance links, which were not the most direct or the most efficient. The real importance of the road system did not emerge until the early 20th century, when the invention of the motor-car created a revolution in industrial transport.

Modern methods of evaluating road requirements for the future have been developed by government planners and a system of motorways linking many parts of Britain was begun in the late 1950s. The development of the fast roads together with the increasing use of large container lorries has meant a rapid rise in road freight transport. More motor vehicles for passengers and lorries direct from the continent began to appear on British roads.

However, many of Britain's roads are not suited to cope with the current volume of traffic. Most of them were designed to handle horse-drawn traffic and are inadequate for modern motor vehicles, especially modern lorries. The increased motor traffic has tended to produce congestion, particularly in towns and cities where several roads may converge, and where congestion has become a daily nightmare for drivers, pedestrians and inhabitants alike.

Great Britain has a long tradition as a maritime and trading nation. The majority of Britain's ports are situated in the mouths, wide estuaries of rivers. Although the largest British ports serve a variety of purposes, many ports concentrate on one particular activity.

The most striking development in the field of transport in recent years has been the growth of air traffic. It handles both freight and passengers to whom speed is more important than cost. The number of people who travel by air has increased at a very fast rate. Practically all major cities and towns of Britain are served by regular daily flights.

Of all airlines operating in the United Kingdom, British Airways is one of the world's leading airlines, and in terms of the passengers carried it is the largest in the world.

Notes to the text:

silt – ил, осадок, засорять

drought – засуха

impetus – толчок

emerge – появляться, возникать

congestion – затор

converge – сходиться в одной точке

Exercise 1. Fill in the blanks with the correct words.

1 Agricultural and industrial products must be moved to and ports, just as raw materials and labour must be transported to the .

2 In the Middle Ages river transport played a major role in the British transport system, because all the large towns of the time were situated on ___rivers.

3 As industrialization continued the canals were found inadequate to cope with the volume of , and railways were built to cope with the problem.

4 Gradually railways took the place of the canals, and towns grew up and developed at railway and along the main lines.

5 As roads were improved, and motor vehicles became faster, more reliable and more numerous, with the advantage of door-to-door delivery, many railway lines lost and became to run.

6 The real importance of the road system did not emerge until the early 20th century, when the ______ of the motor-car created a revolution in ______ transport.

7 The pattern of roads in Britain still bears traces of the Roman road_____.

8 The development of the fast roads together with the increasing use of large container lorries has meant a rapid rise in road ______ transport.

9 The number of people who travel by air has increased at a very fast_____.

10 All major cities and towns of Britain are _____by regular daily flights.

Exercise 2. Complete the sentences with the best answer (a, b or c). Translate the sentences.

1 During the 20th century needs have changed again, so that emphasis is placed not only upon ease of communications but also

a) quality of communications

b) speed of communications

c) diversity of communications

2 Railways were speeder, in many respects more flexible, and also were a more convenient means of transporting to and from

a) importing ports

b) exporting ports

c) foreign ports

3 The first public railway, between Stockton and Darlington, was opened in 1825, in

a) northern England

b) southern England

c) south-eastern England

4 The construction of the railways after 1830 meant the gradual decline of waterways, many canals were no longer used for commercial traffic, but for

a) passenger traffic

b) freight traffic

c) pleasure boating

5 Although the modern network is really a product of the last two centuries, the pattern of roads in Britain still beards traces of

a) the Norman road network

b) the Roman road network

c) the Anglo-Saxon road network

6 Built, in the first place, to link settlements, such roads formed long distance links which were not the most

a) speedy

b) direct or efficient

c) profitable

7 The most striking development in the field of transport in recent years has been the growth of

a) motor vehicle traffic

b) air traffic

c) shipping

8 The invention of the internal combustion engine introduced a rival means of transport – an

a) airplane

b) ocean liner

c) automobile

9 A system of motorways linking many parts of Britain was begun

a) in the late 1950s

b) in the middle 1950s

c) in the early 1950s

Exercise 3. Are these statements true or false? Correct the false statements.

1 Before the 17th century there was little need for rapid communication, because most local areas were relatively self-sufficient in materials for industry.

2 The impetus for the development of railway communications came from the expanding oil trade of the early 19th century.

3 During the 19th century and the early years of the 20th century the railways were the principal carriers of both freight and passengers.

4 For example, during the boom years rival companies built many competing parallel lines between the major cities and, as traffic declined, some of these lines became seriously overloaded.

5 Modern methods of evaluating road requirements for the future have been developed by government planners and a system of motorways linking many parts of Britain was begun in the late 1950s.

6 Most of Britain’s roads were designed to handle horse-drawn traffic and are adequate for modern motor vehicles, especially modern lorries.

7 Great Britain has a long tradition as a maritime nation.

8 The majority of Britain’s ports are situated on seacoast.

9 The number of people who travel by air has increased at a very fast rate.

Exercise 4. Answer the questions:

1 What is an essential feature of a modern industrialized country? Why?

2 What transport played a major role in the British internal transport system in the Middle Ages? Why?

3 What problems did river navigation suffer from?

4 What caused a decline in river transport?

5 Where did the impetus for the development of railway communications come from?

6 When was the first public railway opened?

7 How did the invention of the internal combustion engine influence the railway communications?

8 What can you say about the pattern of roads in Britain?

9 What is the role of the motor vehicle transport?

10 What problems are created by the increased motor traffic?

11 Why is Britain considered a maritime nation?

12 What caused the growth of air traffic?

Exercise 5. Points for discussion.

1 The role of transport in different periods of history.

2 The development of road and railway network in Britain.

3 Transport in the life of the people today.

Exercise 6. Read and discuss the dialogue.

A: I believe you've been working on a transport policy for Britain. Can you explain what is special about your plan?

B: Yes, certainly. First of all, Britain is unique in its transport history.

A: Why's that?

B: Because of all the transport systems that have been developed in the last 300 years. By the year 1700, Britain had a whole network of canals and rivers. Coal could be moved from Welsh mining villages right into the heart of London.

A: But surely, the canal system is much too slow for industry today.

B: Not necessarily. With a bit of forward planning, we could still move construction materials by waterway, though I'd agree that the main potential of the canal routes today is their recreational use. They are ideal for people who really want to relax and live life at a slower pace – I don't mean stuck on the roads in a traffic jam.

A: What do you propose for industry then?

B: Well, Britain's rail network is still second to none.

A: But freight trains can't deliver goods from door to door. By the time you've loaded them onto a truck, you might as well do the whole journey by road.

B: That doesn't necessarily follow. A lot of our trade is with Europe and before the Channel Tunnel, there was a very good container industry. The containers could either be hooked onto lorries or loaded onto ships. Why not adapt the rail network allow it to cope with containers?

A: You couldn't have loading bays and cranes at every station along the line.

B: No, but you could have freight terminals in each of our major cities. Loading could take place during the night to avoid congestion.

A: How do people fit into your plan?

B: Well firstly, nobody will have the right to own a private car. You will still be able to rent a car for journeys between cities, but it will always be cheaper to take the family on the train. There will be taxis to cross town, but it will naturally be more economical to use bicycles and buses or to walk. Disabled people will be given taxi vouchers and there will still be hospital cars driven by professionals.

Exercise 7. Translate the words and word combinations into English:

Важная особенность, сложная транспортная система, перевозить сырье, использовать грузовую авиацию, играть основную роль, судоходные реки, доставка товаров, расширять торговые связи, постепенный упадок, справиться с объемом движения транспорта, железнодорожный узел, рабочий класс, основные перевозчики, конкурент, надежное транспортное средство, столкнуться с проблемой, растущая конкуренция, современная сеть дорог, внутренние маршруты, грузовой поезд, создавать затор, концентрироваться на определенном виде деятельности, быть толчком для развития, благоприятные условия.

Exercise 8. Write a dictation:

feature expand rival cope decline

link labour principal civil handle

radiate delay pattern essential recent

Translate the text.

T e x t 6B

Transport for London

London’s transport forms the hub of the road, rail and air networks in the United Kingdom. It has its own dense and extensive internal private and public transport networks, as well as providing a focal point for the national road and railway networks. London also has a number of airports including the UK's busiest, Heathrow, and a sea port.