Tests

UK transport system. Abstract: UK transport infrastructure

In 2004, despite the continuing decline in production in the extractive industries (a drop of 7.5%, including in oil and gas production by 8.2%), industrial production growth rates noticeably accelerated - they amounted to 1.3% against 0, 4% in 2003. An analysis of the dynamics of the industry in terms of end use of products shows that in 2004 the production of investment goods (an increase of 2.7%) and consumer durables (by 3.5%) grew at a relatively high rate. At the same time, there was a decrease in the production of raw materials and materials by 0.2% and consumer goods of daily demand by 0.9%. Of the individual sectors of the UK manufacturing industry, relatively high growth rates were observed in the processing of hydrocarbon raw materials (an increase of 5.6%), as well as mechanical engineering (by 3.4%), metallurgy and metalworking (by 3.1%), and the chemical industry (by 3.1%). 2.3%). The manufacturing industry (79.1%) dominates in the UK industry structure, followed by the mining industry (12.2%), including oil and gas (11.2%) and electricity, water and gas supply (8.7%).

The UK has a well-developed infrastructure. The main elements of the country's transport infrastructure are:

Railways with a total length of 34 thousand km, including electrified about 5 thousand km, double or multi-track - 12.5 thousand km. The railway infrastructure includes 2.5 thousand stations, 40 thousand bridges and tunnels. In the largest cities, such as London, Glasgow, etc., there are so-called light railways, represented by various types ground metro (221 km and 238 stations);

Automobile roads, the total length of which is more than 392 thousand km, of which about 3.5 thousand km are motorways (slightly less than 1% of the total length of roads) and more than 9.3 thousand km of main roads (about 2.4%);

Inland waterways (5 thousand km), more than 70 sea and 200 river trade ports;

140 licensed airports, of which the 25 largest are homologated by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

The transport sector in the UK and related industries employs 1.4 million people.

It is not without reason that the UK government classifies transport infrastructure as one of the strategically important sectors of the country's economy - for the fifth year in a row, a special long-term program for the development of the country's transport infrastructure for the period up to 2011 has been consistently implemented, the total cost of which is estimated at 180 billion pounds. Art., of which 50 billion are planned to be attracted from the private sector. As part of its implementation, a railway reform will be carried out. transport in order to increase passenger traffic by 50% and freight traffic by 80%, for which 6 thousand new cars and locomotives will be put into operation, the traffic safety system will be modernized. In accordance with the road transport infrastructure development plan, it is planned to build 80 new and 100 bypass roads, lay noise-absorbing pavement on 60% of main roads, increase bus transportation by 10%, increase the expressway network by 5% (by 580 km), and improve the traffic control system.

Railway transport

For the first three quarters of 2004, the volume of passenger transportation by rail. transport increased by 2.3% compared to the same period in 2003 and amounted to 31 billion passenger-km (I...III quarters of 2003 - 30.3 billion passenger-km). The volume of freight transportation by rail in the first 9 months of 2004 decreased by 1.2% to 66.6 million tons (for the same period in 2003 - 67.4 million tons). The analysis of the situation on the railway showed that the reasons for the ongoing accidents and violations of the train schedule are the unsatisfactory condition of the railway tracks and the inefficiency of the existing railway transport management system.

To improve the situation on the railways, the Labor government has developed a special plan for the development of the UK railways until 2010, according to which private investments of up to 40 billion pounds will be attracted to the industry. Art., which, together with budgetary financing of the industry as a whole, will amount to 73.5 billion f. Art. These funds will be mainly directed to the renewal and modernization of rolling stock, railway tracks, train traffic safety systems and railway stations in order to qualitatively improve the level of services provided and increase the attractiveness of railway transport among potential passengers in the face of tougher competition with other modes of transport.

In 2004, the UK Department for Transport published a White Paper: The Future of Rail, further revealing the government's long-term plans to reorganize the industry. Thus, in order to correct the current situation in the railway transport of Great Britain, the Ministry of Transport plans by 2006 to reduce the number of companies operating the passenger railway. transport from 25 to 16, by 2010 - up to 10. To this end, the process of reviewing franchise agreements with operating companies will soon begin, the validity of which will then be set for a period of 2 to 15 years.

At the same time, the conditions of franchises will be reviewed after 5 years to achieve the established indicators for the operators to improve the quality of passenger transportation, increase the number of trains and ensure traffic safety.
The policy of the UK government in this area is directly implemented by the Ministry of Transport, which in its work relies on three non-governmental organizations.

Automobile transport

Road freight transport in the UK accounts for 82% of the total tonnage of goods moved and 62% of the total freight transport, which is estimated at 150 billion tkm. The average shoulder of cargo transportation is 90...95 km. There are 426,000 registered trucks weighing more than 3.5 tons in the United Kingdom, of which 16% weigh 38 tons. The total number of freight transport operators is 105,000, 84% of which have a fleet of no more than 5 trucks. Transportation of goods is mainly carried out by heavy vehicles. 88% of cargo is transported by vehicles with a carrying capacity of more than 25 tons. The dynamics of cargo transportation by heavy vehicles is presented in Table. one.

In 2004 there were over 96,000 buses in the UK, of which 16,400 were double-deckers and 43,200 were standard buses for 40 passenger seats and more. Almost all bus companies are private, with the exception of 17 which are owned by local authorities. There are 25 bus companies operating in London serving over 700 routes. Their activities were very positively affected by the introduction of a fee (£5) for entering the city center for cars with less than 9 passenger seats.

Air transport

In 2004, the volume of air transport passing through UK airports is estimated at 2.1 million tons of cargo and 176.9 million passengers, of which British airlines - 1 million tons of cargo and 110 million passengers. The main part of traffic falls on international flights. More than 920 aircraft were in operation, serving about 640 domestic and international flights. Air transport in the UK is operated by 50 private companies. The activities of UK aviation companies are regulated by the Civil Aviation Authority CAA, whose tasks include flight safety issues, protecting the rights of passengers, environmental research, consulting, etc., as well as certification of passenger airliners and their crews, issuing licenses to aviation operators, monitoring prices of passenger tickets on domestic flights and charges at British airports.

Despite the significant problems that have arisen in the industry over the past few years due to high fuel prices and the market reaction to terrorist attacks in the United States, the forecasts for the development of the air transportation industry are quite optimistic, since the main negative changes (falling profits due to a decrease in the number of passengers, etc.) ) have been left behind in the industry. The volume of cargo and, more importantly, passenger traffic carried out by British airlines on international routes increased by 1 and 4.5%, respectively.

There are about 140 licensed civil airports in the UK. The seven largest are controlled by the commercial operator British Airport Authority (BAA). The second largest airport operator is TBI, which operates three airports - London Luton, Cardiff International and Belfast International.

The British authorities have developed the Air Transport Development Doctrine, which provides for the development of existing airports. Only BAA plans to invest until 2014 in the development of its airports 8.6 billion pounds. Art. According to forecasts, the number of air passengers will increase by 4% annually over the next decade, and by 2030 it may increase by 2-3 times. In addition, over the past 10 years, the transportation of goods has already doubled.

Sea transport

The UK economy is highly dependent on the state of the national merchant marine. According to the Department for Transport and the UK Shipping Chamber, about 95% of the tonnage and 75% of the value of British foreign trade cargo, as well as up to 25% of domestic trade goods, is transported by water.

The British Register includes 649 ships with a displacement of over 100 so-called "long" tons; their total carrying capacity is 15 million tons. Among them:

149 vessels with a total deadweight of 5.5 million tons for the transport of oil, gas and chemicals;

453 vessels with a deadweight of 9.3 million tons hired as dry cargo and container ships;

47 passenger ships with a total deadweight of 100 thousand tons.

According to the British Statistics Office, 77% of ships owned by British companies are registered in the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man or the British Overseas Territories.

There are more than 70 international sea trading ports of commercial importance in the UK, as well as more than 200 small ports where local cargo is handled, to serve maritime merchant ships and passengers, as well as to handle cargo. More than 565 million tons of cargo (of which about 220 million tons are imported and 180 million tons are exported) are transshipped through British ports annually, and up to 30 million passengers are transported.

London hosts the headquarters of the International Maritime Organization, which is part of the UN structure, as well as representative offices of more than 120 ship-owning companies in the world. Here are the leading registered companies. In particular, the Lloyd's Marine Register, which is the oldest and second in the world (after the Japanese "Society Class NK") classification society, in which up to 20% of the tonnage of the world merchant fleet is registered.

Automotive industry

There are 18 companies in the country's automotive industry, of which 11 produce cars and 7 produce trucks and buses. The number of people employed in this sector of the economy exceeds 700 thousand people.

About 80% of cars produced in the country are produced by companies with foreign capital. MG Rover is the only national serial production company. Of the British factories of foreign companies, one can note Honda in Swindon, Nissan in Sunderland, Toyota in Burnaston (Derbyshire), BMW in Oxford, PSA Peugeot Citroёn in Ryton (near Coventry).

An interesting fact is that in 2004, Russian businessman N. Smolensky acquired TVR, which produces about 1,000 sports cars a year at a cost of about 50,000 pounds. Art. everyone. In total, 1.6 million passenger cars were produced in the UK in 2004, which is 0.7% less than in 2003.

The production of commercial vehicles is at the level of 190...210 thousand. The output of passenger cars for export in 2004 increased by 3.1% compared to 2003 - up to 1.1 million units, output for the domestic market fell by 9.1% (up to 0.5 million units). More than 70 out of every 100 vehicles produced in the UK are exported.

The UK commercial vehicle market in 2004 was characterized by an increase in demand. In this regard, their production for the year increased by 10.8% (up to 209 thousand). This figure is the highest since 1999.

In total, 3.4 million new cars were registered in the UK in 2004, and their number increased by 5.4% compared to 2003. The best selling car in the UK is the Ford Focus, followed by the Vauxhall Corsa and the Ford Fiesta.

The UK transport system is one of the best and most developed in the world, because there are a variety of vehicles that run regularly and very intensively. It is also very convenient that the transport networks of the UK are located so that even the most remote corners of the country are in excellent transport accessibility, which allows residents of even suburban areas to easily get anywhere in the country.

UK public transport

The modern metro, which, due to the peculiarities of the location of the lines, was popularly called the “pipe”, is the best transport branch of the UK. The country's metro lines are both ground and underground, such a specific location of the transport web allows you to completely eliminate the problem of traffic jams even during the busiest hours.

An interesting and modern route description system present in the metro allows you to determine the desired line even for tourists. Transfer points are indicated here, as well as the main destinations and their final destinations. The board also displays information about the time of arrival of the train and the departure of the next one. There are 10 lines in total, the Central, District, Northern, Metropolitan, and Piccadilly lines have branches. Going on the road, once again make sure that you are on the branch you need

The fare in the metro is determined in accordance with the zoning of the territory, if the path runs through only one zone, its cost will be minimal, if the passenger crosses two or more zones, the fare will increase. A single trip ticket can cost between £1.50 and £3.50. When traveling outside the central "zone 1" ticket price - 0.90-2.20 pounds. The metro operates from 5 am to 0.30 am. On Sundays, trains start running two hours later and finish an hour earlier. Intervals vary depending on the route and time of day, but, as a rule, do not exceed 10 minutes

bus service in the UK it is simply superbly developed, especially in London. Only modern and comfortable buses with one or even two floors are used here. As a rule, there is public transport in the city, as well as private transport. For the convenience of passengers, this transport is marked with various colors, public transport marked in red, each private company has its own color of buses, which is why you can see that very colorful bus streams move on the roads of the country.

Public buses stop at bus stops marked "public transport", private buses sometimes stop at the request of passengers. You can find out by paying attention to the markings at the bus stop, usually the need to vote for boarding is indicated by the "Request" sign.

Bus routes are also divided into zones roughly corresponding to metro zones. There are four types of tickets:

one-time tickets for the bus (sold on buses, they cost depending on the distance, at least $ 0.82),
weekly bus passes, one-time subway tickets (cost depending on distance, minimum - $1.48, maximum - $4.92),
and travel cards.

This is the most convenient and economical solution to the transport problem in London. They are valid for almost all buses, subways and trains within the city. The passes are not valid on buses that take passengers to Heathrow Airport and on night buses, but weekly passes are valid there. In addition, it is worth paying attention to the fact that some travel cards "work" only after 9.30 am. The cost of travel tickets depends on the period and area of their validity. For most tourists, 1 and 2 zones are enough. A one-day ticket for them - "Zone 1&2 Card" - costs $4.43. One-day travel "All Zone Card" is valid for all 6 zones and allows, in particular, to get on the tube to Heathrow Airport, costs $6.07. For the opportunity to ride early in the morning, until 9.30, you have to pay extra. This allows you to make a "Zone 1&2 LT Card", costing $6.39. A photo is required for weekly tickets. There are travel cards for a month and for a longer time.

Big black taxis have become an integral part of the London streets. Taxis in London are of two types. The famous "black cabs" are relatively expensive. They work on a meter: $3 for landing and $1.2 for 1 kilometer run. There are cheaper companies. Their cars are called minicabs (because they can take not 5 passengers, like real "cabs", but only four). They take orders only by phone, they work without counters, so you should inquire about the tariff in advance. A taxi ride from Heathrow lasts about an hour and costs about £40 plus tips. A taxi ride from Gatwick Airport to London costs about £80 plus tips. Taxi ranks can be found near hotels and many places popular among tourists. In London, Edinburgh and other big cities you can stop on the street. A free car must have a yellow "Taxi" or "For Hire" sign on the roof. Often at night, taxi drivers do not turn it on in order to be able to choose passengers themselves.

Rail transport in the UK

In the UK, rail transport is well developed, which is affordable, convenient and modern. The total length of railways in Great Britain is more than 34 thousand km, including about 5 thousand km electrified, double or multi-track - 12.5 thousand km. The railway infrastructure includes 2.5 thousand stations, 40 thousand bridges and tunnels. In the largest cities, such as London, Glasgow and others, there are so-called light railways, represented by various types of surface metro (221 km and 238 stations).

English railways are the oldest in Europe, and have partially retained the flavor of the last century. In some places you can still find old cars familiar from the movie about Sherlock Holmes, where each compartment has its own exit to the platform. To open the door in them from the inside, you must first lower the window and get to the outer handle.

Since then, a wide variety of trains, wagons and local regulations have remained. This diversity has grown even more in recent years, when the single British railway system has broken up into many smaller companies. In the early 1990s, the government decided to end Brit Rail's monopoly and announced the privatization of the railways.

Now more than 25 passenger companies operate on the island. Among them are four large, several medium, the rest are small, serving one or two routes. Their names are the same as they were in the last century - First Great Western, Midland Main Line, Central Trains and the like. Abbreviations of these long names are often used, and two-letter codes are given in timetables. In addition, there are many small private tourist lines.

To cross the English Channel, there is a separate transport branch that passes through the Channel Tunnel. Its use is especially convenient because it is in this way that the maximum speed of transportation is achieved.

UK air transport

There are several international and local airports in the UK, which are also a significant part of transport system countries. The five largest airports in the country - Heathrow and Gatwick located in the London area, as well as Manchester, Luton and Glasgow - provide 75% of all passenger and air cargo transportation. Air transport in the UK is very popular, it is used to transport goods and passengers. It is worth noting that the location of the terminals at the airports of the terminals makes it possible to prevent the occurrence of queues and make passenger service very fast.

There are also about 140 licensed civil airports in the country. The seven largest are controlled by the commercial operator British Airport Authority (BAA). The second largest airport operator is TBI, which operates three airports - London Luton, Cardiff International and Belfast International.

The British authorities have developed the Air Transport Development Doctrine, which provides for the development of existing airports. Only BAA plans to invest until 2014 in the development of its airports 8.6 billion pounds. Art. According to forecasts, the number of air passengers will increase by 4% annually over the next decade, and by 2030 may grow 2-3 times. In addition, over the past 10 years, the transportation of goods has already doubled.

The UK economy is highly dependent on the state of the national economy. maritime merchant fleet. According to the Department for Transport and the UK Shipping Chamber, about 95% of the tonnage and 75% of the value of British foreign trade cargo, as well as up to 25% of domestic trade goods, is transported by water.

In 2000, a tram was recreated in London. Everyone knows about double-decker buses, but few people know that fifty-five years ago double-decker trams ran around London. The London tram (Tramlink) now has three routes in the southern part of the city. Thirty meters long double wagons imported from Vienna serve the Croydon area. Tram tickets are sold separately from vending machines at stops. If you need to transfer to a bus after a trip by tram or vice versa, you can buy a tram-bus ticket for the same price. Bus tickets are not valid on the tram.

Characteristics of the UK transport network

Transport in Great Britain occupies one of the leading places in the country's economy and has a number of essential features inherent in it as a complex intersectoral complex.

The development of the UK transport system is largely due to modern trends in improving transportation technology and management systems.

Since Great Britain is an island state, all its external transportation and trade are connected with sea and air transport, but after the opening of the tunnel under the English Channel, road transport began to play an important role.

All areas of Great Britain, except for the West Midlands, are in one way or another directly connected with seaports, which serve as the main transport hubs.

Road transport plays the most important role in domestic freight transport. At the same time, the road network is being expanded and reconstructed.

Great Britain is very rich in such sights as: Northern Ireland ("The Giants' Road" - a rock formation on the north coast, consisting of several thousand multifaceted basalt columns); Belfast (City Hall; St. Anne's Protestant Cathedral; Ulster Museum); Glasgow (St. Muvgo Cathedral (mid-15th century); Glasgow Museum; art gallery, one of the best in Britain; Hunterian Museum; botanical garden; zoo); Edinburgh (Edinburgh Castle; St. Margaret's Church (XI century); Castle Rock Castle, royal residence in Scotland Holyrod Palace; St. Gilles Church (XV century); Scottish Parliament Building (1639); National Galleries of Scotland; Royal Museum and others); Cardiff (Cardiff Castle (XI century); Llandaf Cathedral; Church of St. John the Baptist (XV century); National Museum of Wales); Stratford (England): Shakespeare's house-museum; Royal Shakespeare Theatre; London (British Museum; Victoria and Albert Museum; London History Museum; Tate Gallery; National Gallery; London Dungeon; Madame Tussauds Museum (world famous wax museum); St. Paul's Cathedral (XVII-XVIII centuries); London; Westminster Abbey ( XI century); Westminster Palace (houses of parliament), the most famous part of which is Big Ben; Buckingham Palace (royal residence); Trafalgar Square and a huge number of parks).

1. TRANSPORT MANAGEMENT IN THE UNITED KINGDOM

1.1 Brief description of the UK

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (the map is presented in Appendix 1), a state in Western Europe, a constitutional monarchy. Located in the British Isles and separated from mainland Europe by the North Sea, the Pas de Calais and the English Channel. The isolated position affected historical development countries. It consists of England, Scotland and Wales, located on the largest island of Great Britain, and Northern Ireland, which occupies the northern part of the second largest island of Ireland. The Isle of Man, located in the Irish Sea between the two mentioned islands, and the Channel Islands form independent administrative units. The total area of the country is 244 thousand square meters. km. In short, the country is called the United Kingdom, as well as Great Britain or simply Britain. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II.

Of particular interest are the methods of intra-urban and suburban movement in the face of increasing population density. In the most major cities United Kingdom laid underground lines. High-speed ground rail transport is also developing (like the Heathrow Express which runs from the airport to the center of London).

1.2 Maritime and road transport: management specifics

The UK economy is highly dependent on the state of the national merchant marine. According to the Ministry of Transport and the UK Shipping Chamber, about 95% of the tonnage and 75% of the value of British foreign trade cargo, as well as up to 25% of domestic trade goods are transported by water.

The British Register includes 649 ships with a displacement of over 100 so-called "long" tons; their total carrying capacity is 15 million tons. Among them: 149 vessels with a total deadweight of 5.5 million tons for the transportation of oil, gas and chemicals; 453 ships with a deadweight of 9.3 million tons, hired as dry cargo and container ships; 47 passenger ships with a total deadweight of 100 thousand tons.

According to the British Statistics Office, 77% of ships owned by British companies are registered in the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man or the British Overseas Territories.

In transport, the public sector plays a less significant role. The state owns ports, which make up one third of the total bandwidth all ports in the country. The major ports (see Appendix 2 for a typical autonomous seaport management structure) are managed by the British Transport Docks Authority, the rest are under the jurisdiction of the British Railways Authority.

Turning to the consideration of road transport, it should be emphasized that in the UK, the Ministry of the Environment includes a general road administration, which is in charge of the overall policy, planning and finance of the development of the road network.

The districts have departments of road engineers responsible for main road maintenance and for main road improvement projects. They also carry out the function of a link between the central and local authorities in the implementation of road construction work. The main sources of funds for new construction are government subsidies and grants.

In recent years, measures have been taken to increase the role of local authorities in addressing issues of expanding the road network and developing transport. The Ministry considers programs for the development of motor transport, roads and public transport, which are prepared by the authorities of the counties, and allocates them subsidies.

Companies are subject to government regulation common use, and in the field of freight transport - and not for general use. Trucks with a curb weight of less than 1.5 tons have been exempted from licensing, for heavier vehicles a system of quality licenses has been introduced in order to ensure better safety.

There are also nationalized road transport companies in the UK, such as the National Freight Corporation, which is the largest road transport company in the country.

1.3 Features of air traffic management

The main directions of state control and regulation of air transport are reduced to the development of long-term and short-term programs for the development of air transport, the financing of technical development and scientific research, the approval and control of the level of tariffs for air transportation, etc. To carry out these functions, a system of state bodies has been created and operates in the UK and institutions.

In Great Britain government bodies management and regulation are the Ministry of Transport (MT) and not included in its structure, the economically independent Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). The MT carries out the following main functions in the management of civil aviation: development and implementation of a general policy regarding the activities of British airlines, airports in the country and the CAA itself; responsibility for international relationships in the field of civil aviation; aircraft noise control and environmental protection; adoption of legislation in the field of civil aviation, including flight safety standards; flight accident investigation.

The structure of the MT services related to civil aviation is presented in Appendix 3.

The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is both a regulator and a public, self-sustaining service enterprise.

It is responsible for: organizing the national airspace (together with the Ministry of Defense) in the field of air traffic control (ATC) and communications; economic regulation of the industry, including the issuance of a license to operate airlines, licensing travel agencies and approval of airfares and a number of airport charges; safety of flights, operating conditions, including licensing of flight personnel and airfields, as well as certification of airlines and aircraft; conducting an examination in civil aviation for international and domestic transportation; protecting the interests of consumers of air transport services; meeting the needs of private aviation; economic and scientific research, collection and publication of statistical data, provision of consulting services; training of personnel and organization of work of civil aviation administrations in foreign territories.

In the UK, under the Airports Authority Act, the British Airports Authority has jurisdiction over London airports only. The main task of this Administration is the organization and control over the activities of airports. It is managed by the Administrative Council, whose members are appointed by the Minister of Transport.

In 1987, the British government handed over to the private sector the country's seven main airports, which accounted for 70% of passenger and 85% of air cargo. Thus, in the UK, airports are separate from airlines and are independent business entities. The management of the capital's airports is centralized on the basis of a special act of the Government. Two major airports in the country have been privatized; the property of these airports is privately owned.

2. SPECIFIC FEATURES OF TRANSPORT AND TRANSPORT SERVICES IN THE UK

2.1 Characteristics of urban transport: metro, buses, taxis, car rental, trams

London is one of the few cities whose transport has become a legend. The world's first subway and the famous double-decker buses are the visiting card of the English capital. True to tradition, Londoners try to preserve their appearance with the least changes. London's urban transport is no longer limited to the subway and double-deckers. Despite all the English conservatism, new modes of transport regularly appear in the British capital. The steam subway has long been replaced by an electrified one, the division into classes of carriages has disappeared, and buses in London are no longer only double-decker.

The history of London transport, which began with omnibuses and launched in 1863 by the steam underground, is so great and interesting that a museum of urban transport has been created in the British capital. It is located in Covent Garden Plaza and is open from ten in the morning until six in the evening.

Now the main transport load is still borne by the metro and buses. The London Underground, familiarly called "Tube" ("Pipe") - is a convenient and fast way to get around the city. Stations are marked with a round "London Underground" sign.

The metro has twelve lines. All of them were created in different time and different owners, and therefore still quite different from each other. Some go mostly underground, some on the surface. Over time, many sections of the railways switched from metro to long-haul trains and vice versa.

The London Underground (Subway map in Appendix 4) also has a circle line in the city centre. The lines quite often fork into separate branches to one or another area of the city, so you should always pay attention to the destination of the train. In addition, trains of different lines can run on the same tracks. The station has an electronic board that tells passengers the route and final stop of the arriving train, and some boards indicate when the next train will arrive.

London Underground trains run quite frequently, with a three to five minute interval on the main lines. However, in some places you can wait for the train for half an hour.

It is interesting to note that visitors to the London Underground, once at Knightsbridge station, will be able, thanks to the use of special audio effects, to be transported to different parts of the world and even immerse themselves in the atmosphere of the jungle. As VisitBritain reported, during 2007, waiting for a train on the platform turned into an exciting adventure - the station space was resounding with a trumpet call African elephants, the purring of Californian sea lions, the singing of cicadas and the characteristic sounds of other representatives of the animal world of our planet. The Zoorama project was developed by Hesar and Ivan Morrison as part of the celebration of the centenary of the opening of one of the central lines of the London Underground - Piccadilly.

This is not the first time that Knightsbridge Station has staged performances for subway visitors. So, in 2006, an exhibition of contemporary photo artists was held here, in which two Russian authors took part. "Knightsbridge" is located in a lively area of London, right at the exit of it is the famous department store "Harrods".

The tariff system of the London Underground is at first glance rather complicated, but in fact it is not a big problem to understand it. The whole of Greater London is divided into six zones, which diverge in concentric circles from the city center. Thus, the first zone is surrounded on all sides by the second, the second by the third, and so on.

Any ticket must be valid in all zones in which the trip takes place, including transit. Therefore, when choosing a travel route, you need to ensure that you do not get into an area where the ticket is not valid. In general, the London Underground usually allows you to get to your destination in several ways. Among them, you can choose the one that affects fewer zones. If you need to travel from the second zone to the third one on the opposite side of the city, then it is quite possible to bypass the first central zone and thus halve the cost of the trip.

The most expensive is the first zone, containing the city center and the largest number of tourist attractions. With the addition of the following zones, the price gradually increases. A child ticket costs about forty percent of an adult.

The first zone also sells a pack of ten tickets (Carnet Ticket). It allows you to make ten trips for the price of seven separate tickets.

Much easier to overpower bus fares. This system was greatly simplified by simply introducing two zones - the first central and everything else.

Turning to buses, it should be noted that in 2004 there were more than 96 thousand buses in the United Kingdom, of which 16,400 were double-decker and 43,200 were standard buses with 40 seats or more. Almost all bus companies are private, with the exception of 17 which are owned by local authorities. There are 25 bus companies operating in London serving over 700 routes. Their activities have been very positively affected by the introduction of a fee (£5) for entering the city center for cars with less than nine passenger seats.

In central London, traditional red double-decker (pictured in Appendix 5) and single-decker buses are the main means of transport, although there are now also many privately owned buses in a variety of colours.

It is interesting to note that in 2006 the UK developed a self-driving city bus capable of driving without a driver. It is equipped with satellite control, a sophisticated navigation system, as well as speed and direction control systems to avoid collisions and other traffic problems. Passengers can inform the bus about their presence at the bus stop using mobile phones or other equipment.

The test model of the bus was supposed to be assembled in 2007, after which it should be tested outside the urban environment - possibly at the airport. It should appear on the streets no earlier than in a few years, RIA Novosti reported with reference to the British media.

The main bus stops are marked with red letters "LT" (London transport). If the sign has the word "Request", the bus should be signaled to stop.

As noted, London is divided into 6 transport zones arranged in concentric circles. How more zones Crossed, the higher the fare. A ticket for one short trip in 2007 cost 70 pence (£1 in the central area). The "Saver 6" ticket entitles you to 6 bus rides within zones 1 - 4 and costs £5.

There are many travel passes available to help you save money on the subway, bus, and Docklands Light Railway trains. You can buy them at metro stations and newsstands. They entitle you to an unlimited number of trips on the metro and buses after 9.30 am on weekdays, and on weekends and holidays there is no time limit. They do not operate on night buses, buses to and from airports.

According to Travelnn.ru, a One Day Travelcard cost in 2007 between £3.90 and £4.70. A Weekend Travelcard is valid for a weekend or two days of holidays and cost £5.20-7. It gives the right to travel on night buses at the end of the first day of its validity. The Family Travelcard is valid for one day and entitles two adults with up to four children to travel. (2.30-3.10 pounds, for each child - 80 pence). A Visitor Travelcard is valid from 1 to 7 days and costs from £3.90. It comes with a coupon book that provides discounts for visiting various museums and attractions. It is only sold outside the UK. LT Cards tickets (cost 5-7.50 pounds) are valid for 1 day without time limits on all modes of transport, except for night buses, National Railways trains, subway trips on the Bakerloo line at stations north of Queen's Park. Millennium LT ticket The Card entitles Millennium Dome ticket holders to travel for one day without a time limit on the Underground, buses (except night buses), Docklands Light Railway and Croydon Tramlink trains, trains linking London Central to Charlton and Greenwich, Millennium Express trains. Ticket price - 3.50 pounds.

In London, there are night buses (the letter "N" in front of the number) that operate from 23 to 5 in the morning. Main transfer points: Victoria, Westminster, Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square. Fares are slightly higher than on daytime buses. Weekly and monthly passes are valid on night buses, but the tickets mentioned above are not valid. For trips outside the central zone, a ticket in 2007 cost £1 and £1.50 if the central zone is included in the itinerary.

Considering taxis, it should be emphasized that large black taxis have become an integral attribute of London streets. There are two types of taxis here. The famous "black cabs" are relatively expensive. They work on a meter: $3 for landing and $1.2 for 1 kilometer run. Cheaper cars are called "minicab" (they can take not 5 passengers, like real "cabs", but only 4). They take orders only by phone, they work without counters, so you should inquire about the tariff in advance.

For example, a taxi ride from Heathrow lasts about an hour and costs about £40 plus tips. A taxi ride from Gatwick Airport to London costs about £80 plus tips. Taxi ranks can be found near hotels and many tourist spots. In London, Edinburgh and other big cities you can stop on the street. A free car must have a yellow "Taxi" or "For Hire" sign on the roof. Often at night, taxi drivers do not turn it on in order to be able to choose passengers themselves.

The base rate is £1.40, then 20p is charged for every 281 yards (256 meters) or 55.5 seconds until the amount reaches the limit of £8.60. After that, 20 pence is charged for every 188 yards (170 meters) or 37 seconds. Additional payment - 60 pence for a trip on weekdays from 20 to midnight. At Christmas and New Year - 2 pounds surcharge. If there is more than one passenger, 40 pence is charged for each additional passenger. Prices usually go up in April.

It is interesting to note that London Taxis International, which produces classic London cabs (photo in Appendix 5), will not be able to independently create a car engine that meets the new Euro-5 environmental standards. According to taxorg.org, the company's specialists officially warned the British government about this. They have asked the authorities to allocate the £5 million needed to complete work on the Euro 5 hybrid power plant.

London Taxis International produces about 2600 cabs a year. Each car costs from £27,000 to £35,500, but installing a new engine in a cab will increase its cost by £12,000. The environmental standard "Euro-5" will become mandatory for all new cars in the EU since 2010.

It is also interesting that the world's first taxi service serving only women was created in the UK. Pink Ladies Cabs employs only female drivers trained in self-defense, first aid and basic psychology. All cars of this service are painted in hot pink, have a luxurious leather interior and are equipped with satellite navigation, which allows you to track the location of a taxi at any time.

According to Autonews.ru, the need for transport in which women would feel protected is extremely urgent for England. According to police statistics, only in London every month at least 10 women become victims of robbers and rapists posing as taxi drivers.

For the safety of its customers, Pink Ladies Cabs give car pick-up notices over the phone and only accept credit card payments to avoid the temptation of cash robbers. In addition, the driver will not leave the house until he is sure that the passenger has safely entered the door. At the same time, the cost of a "female" taxi does not differ from the usual one.

It should also be noted that London's urban transport was ranked the best in the world in a 2006 survey of 2,000 travelers by TripAdvisor, a travel recommendation website. Interestingly, they also recognized it as the transport with the most inflated prices. In the first place were placed and London taxis.

Driving in the UK is on the left. The speed limit is 30 mph on city streets and in royal parks. On the outskirts of cities sometimes - 40 miles / hour (65 km / h), as indicated by a round red sign. Rural - 60 mph (96 km/h) on regular roads and 70 mph (112 km/h) on highways.

Road conditions in the UK are excellent. In cities and their environs, roads are often busy. The penalties for drunk driving in the UK are very strict. Seat belts are a must. The maximum alcohol limit is 0.5 g. Approximate gasoline prices start at 2.50 pounds per gallon (55 pence per liter). Most gas stations sell lead-free gasoline as well as diesel fuel. Service stations, other than those located on highways, are usually closed from 9 pm to 7 am.

The intricate maze of streets, many of which are one-way, makes driving in London challenging. Give way to pedestrians at zebra crossings. It is forbidden to park within the pedestrian crossing, the curb of which is marked with a zigzag line. On transitions - "zebras" it is forbidden to overtake other cars. The use of a sound signal is prohibited from 23.30 to 7 am. There are many parking restrictions in London. In areas where the speed limit is 30 km/h, you may park at night no further than 25 yards (23 meters) from a working street light, but no closer than 15 yards (14 meters) from an intersection.

On the "Red Roads" - very busy sections of the street with a red stripe, you can not even stop to drop off a passenger. It is much easier to assume that during the day you can not park anywhere except in paid parking lots or where there are no lines and prohibition signs. Otherwise, you run the risk of being fined £100.

To rent a car, you must have a valid driver's license in your country of residence, be at least 19-24 years old (depending on the company), have at least 1 year of driving experience, and pay a deposit corresponding to the estimated rental price (some companies only accept credit cards for payment) ). If the car is rented only in one direction, it is necessary to pay for the return run as well. The customer also pays for petrol. The technical condition of cars is always good, while the rental price depends on the season - the highest rates are in summer and winter, lower - in spring and autumn.

Driving rules in the UK are very strict. The policeman has the right to issue a fine of up to 30 pounds on the spot for smoking in the cabin, loud music, looking at a map, changing CDs in the player, using a mobile while driving, eating, drinking soft drinks, aggressive behavior towards passengers and so on. Arguing with a policeman or proving one's case is not only pointless, but also dangerous - the size of the punishment in this case can be sharply increased.

Hitchhiking is not allowed in the UK.

Tram tickets are sold separately from vending machines at stops. If you need to transfer to a bus after a trip by tram or vice versa, you can buy a tram-bus ticket for the same price. Bus tickets are not valid on the tram.

Another original form of London transport is the Docklands Light Railway (DLR). He is a little over ten years old. It owes its appearance to the collapse of the London docks, which lost their jobs after the modernization of maritime freight transport. Large-tonnage container ships migrated to the deep-water ports of the coast, leaving the vast London area in desolation. The program for reviving the docks area provided for the appearance of high-speed transport there, which was launched in the late eighties.

The Docklands Light Railway is a series of driverless trailers with a capacity of about 250 people. Currently, more than four lines are already operating. They provide transportation from the former dock area to many metro and rail lines, as well as to the city centre. The DLR fare system is the same as in the metro. It valid metro tickets and vice versa.

Tickets for transport can be bought at vending machines located at metro stations and at stops of land transport. In addition, bus tickets are also sold by drivers. All child tickets expire at 10pm.

In general, London transport operates from four or five in the morning until the first hour of the night. On Sunday, transport starts after seven in the morning and stops by midnight. Traffic intervals on Sunday are approximately twice as long. It is bad with transport at Christmas, when many lines do not function at all.

2.2 Characteristics of railway transport

As of 2007, the total length of railways in Great Britain is 34 thousand km, including about 5 thousand km of electrified railways, 12.5 thousand km of double or multi-track railways. The railway infrastructure includes 2.5 thousand stations, 40 thousand bridges and tunnels. In the largest cities, such as London, Glasgow and others, there are so-called light railways, represented by various types of surface metro (221 km and 238 stations).

To improve the situation on the railways, the Labor government has developed a special plan for the development of the UK railways until 2010, according to which private investments of up to 40 billion pounds were attracted to the industry. Art., which, together with budgetary financing of the industry as a whole, will amount to 73.5 billion f. Art. These funds will be mainly directed to the renewal and modernization of rolling stock, railway tracks, train traffic safety systems and railway stations in order to qualitatively improve the level of services provided and increase the attractiveness of railway transport among potential passengers in the face of tougher competition with other modes of transport.

In 2004, the UK Department for Transport published a White Paper: The Future of Rail, further revealing the government's long-term plans to reorganize the industry. So, in order to correct the current situation in the railway transport of Great Britain, the Ministry of Transport in 2006 reduced the number of companies operating the passenger railway. transport from 25 to 16, and in 2010 - up to 10. To this end, the process of reviewing franchise agreements with operating companies is already underway, the validity of which will then be set for a period of 2 to 15 years.

The policy of the UK government in this area is directly implemented by the Ministry of Transport, which in its work relies on three non-governmental organizations.

Since then, a wide variety of trains, wagons and local regulations have remained. This diversity has grown even more in recent years, when the single British railway system has broken up into many smaller companies. In the early 1990s, the government decided to end BritRail's monopoly and announced the privatization of the railroads.

At one time there was great confusion on the roads, but now the situation has somewhat calmed down. Nevertheless, the British are mostly dissatisfied with the reform. Now they are forced to understand a huge variety of tariffs, discounts, travel tickets, various schedules.

The tariff system of English railways is also very confused. It is completely different from the one used "on the continent". But she is almost an exact copy aviation fare system.

As in aviation, fares are based not on distance, but on market criteria - demand, the number of companies on the route, etc. As in aviation, standard fares are very high, but few people use them. There are a lot of special fares, half of which also have aviation names.

Tickets valid for one day or for a specific trip are usually referred to as Ranger, while travel tickets are referred to as Rover. There are no surcharges for the train class - with the exception of surcharges for sleeping cars. If during the trip you change from a train of one company to a train of another, you will have to buy two different tickets - in the event that there is no All England travel card. If you have to travel a lot, or being a tourist who wants to visit several cities, then such a pass is a must.

Classes are not named first and second, as everywhere else, but first and standard. On private lines, there is also a third class. A number of companies offer first class travel with a standard class ticket at a surcharge. Often this offer is accompanied by various conditions - traveling on Sunday, pre-purchasing a ticket, and the like. Some companies allocate special carriages for those who have paid the full standard ticket price.

Seat reservations do not exist on all routes. Basically, you can reserve a seat on long-distance lines. Reservation is usually free, although some companies - Wales and West and Central Trains - reserve a seat for a fee. In any case, each company has its own reservation rules. As a rule, the reservation is terminated two hours before the departure of the train from the original station, but sometimes it can occur after.

In most cases, the same seat number refers to two seats at once. One of them is located along the train, the other - against. On the reservation ticket, this is marked with the letters F (Forward) and B (Backward), respectively. Now this purely English order of designation of places is being gradually canceled on a number of lines.

Tickets can be bought both at the box office and at the ticket machine. If you do not have time to do this, then the ticket can also be sold by the conductor on the train. However, it only sells standard full price tickets. You will not be able to buy a ticket from him at any of the many discounted fares.

On a number of lines, mainly local ones, tickets are sold only in vending machines. If you are caught on a train without a ticket, you will be fined 10 pounds.

In Britain, there are platforms where there are no ticket offices or a ticket machine. In this case, there is definitely another machine - permit to travel. It only accepts coins. They need to be lowered by about the price of the ticket. The vending machine prints a receipt indicating the amount paid. With this ticket, you can board the train, and at the first opportunity, you should exchange the ticket for a normal ticket. The amount paid will be taken into account.

There are few night trains in Britain, and a large proportion of them consist exclusively of sleeping cars. These trains are usually referred to as Sleeper. In the first class there are single compartments, in the standard - double compartments. If you wish to travel together in first class, then two compartments are provided with a door between them. The price of the supplement for a bed is standard and does not depend on the distance. The price usually includes a light breakfast.

Couchette cars do not exist in principle, and seated night cars, if they exist, are also very uncomfortable. They are not divided into compartments, and even the seats in them do not recline.

In general, trains in Britain run frequently and mostly without delay. On long-distance lines, an hour or half-hour interval is maintained, and near large cities you can leave even faster. The designation system for train types in England is also its own. The fastest trains, rushing at speeds of about 200 kilometers per hour, are called the High Speed Train (HST), or InterCity, or simply Express.

Unlike the rest of Europe, in England timetables can be published separately for weekdays and for weekends and holidays. On some lines, the number of trains on weekends is reduced, on others it is increasing. Saturday usually refers to working days. Also, the usual on the continent consolidated schedules for the station are almost not used. Schedules are given separately for each direction.

In 2005 the UK government decided to start a feasibility study for a high speed line using maglev electromagnetic technology. Passenger trains on such a line can reach speeds of up to 480 km/h. It was assumed that the UK would cooperate in this project with the Transrapid International consortium (Germany), which included Siemens and ThyssenKrupp, who developed the high-speed maglev system.

The high-speed line will be built along the UK's busiest London-Glasgow transport route via Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle and Edinburgh. The cost of this project will be 17 billion euros, not counting the cost of paying for land acquisition. According to the consortium, its experts have been preparing drafts of a preliminary feasibility study for about two years to be submitted to the UK government for consideration.

A similar electromagnetic line was built in China between downtown Shanghai and Pudong International Airport. Passenger trains on an electromagnetic cushion run along the highway at speeds up to 270 km/h, covering 31 km in just 7-8 minutes. It is interesting that in Germany itself they refused to build an electromagnetic line Hamburg - Berlin, Russian Railways reports with reference to The Daily Record.

International communication from Britain is carried out in two ways. The traditional way of loading wagons onto the ferry is giving way to a new way - traveling on Eurostar trains in the Channel Tunnel. You can get to Ireland by ferry (Northern Ireland, although part of the United Kingdom, is related to Ireland rather than Britain in terms of rail).

Anglesey Welsh County Council offers "train excursions" to tourists. They are organized both from London and from other English cities to the Isle of Anglesey, according to icWales. The trains - each carrying up to 400 passengers - already run several times a year, giving tourists views of the North Wales coastline, Conwy Castle and the Menai Strait.

Continuing the conversation about excursions, we can also note that the Jacobite train makes summer trips through the hills and lakes of Scotland from Fort William to Mallaig. The route is even more famous than the train itself, as it passes over the world's first concrete viaduct, Glenfinnan, with 21 arches. “By the way,” Travel.ru reports, “this project, proposed in 1901 by engineer Robert McAlpine, was received with hostility by many. So, specially for the opening of the railway, a guidebook was issued, which said: “The local authorities believed that it would be a monstrous structure, so ugly that surrounding nature can be forgotten once and for all. Now it’s clear how wrong they were.” To appreciate the beauty of the viaduct, it is best to ride on a Jacobite, made up of historic carriages, driven by a 1929 Otton Hall steam locomotive. Speed: 95 km/h. Travel time: 4 hours. Price: 20.5-41 pounds depending on the class and route.

It is interesting to note that the British government announced plans in 2005 to introduce double-decker commuter trains to ease the burden on public transport, which is constantly overcrowded. Minister for Transport Alistair Darling learned from the experience of using double-deck trains in continental Europe and ordered a calculation of the costs required to put such trains into operation in the UK.

Over the past 11 years, the number of British public transport passengers has increased by 40%. In 2004, the British made 1.05 billion trips. According to forecasts of railway companies, over the next eight years (until 2012) the number of passenger trips by rail will increase by 28-41%. Rail companies are proposing special surcharges for travel at peak times and on the busiest routes in order to force people to use alternative modes of transport.

The minister acknowledged that the use of double-decker trains could be hampered by the problem of the many narrow tunnels and bridges on British railways. Unlike the British Victorian railways, on the European continent they were built with taller trains in mind. But, nevertheless, on some busy lines it is possible to introduce double-decker trains into operation and at the same time avoid the construction of new tunnels. In the 50s and 60s, double-decker trains were already used on one of the lines of British railways, as an experiment. These trains were abandoned after managers complained that it was taking too long to get passengers on and off. In order to avoid such a problem, it is now planned to use doors of an improved design, Inopressa.ru reports with reference to The Times.

2.3 Characteristics of road, air and water transport

The total length of roads in the UK is more than 392 thousand km, of which about 3.5 thousand km are motorways (slightly less than 1% of the total road length) and more than 9.3 thousand km of main roads (about 2.4%).

Road freight transport in the UK accounts for 82% of the total tonnage of goods moved and 62% of the total freight transport, which is estimated at 150 billion tons / km. The average shoulder of cargo transportation is 90...95 km. In the United Kingdom in 2004, there were 426,000 registered trucks weighing more than 3.5 tons, of which 16% weighed 38 tons. 5 trucks. Transportation of goods is mainly carried out by heavy vehicles. 88% of cargo is transported by vehicles with a carrying capacity of more than 25 tons.

As of 2007, there are 140 licensed airports in the UK, of which the 25 largest are homologated by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

In 2004, the volume of air transport passing through UK airports is estimated at 2.1 million tons of cargo and 176.9 million passengers, of which British airlines - 1 million tons of cargo and 110 million passengers. The main part of traffic falls on international flights. More than 920 aircraft were in service, serving about 640 domestic and international flights. Air transport in the UK is operated by 50 private companies. As noted in Chapter 1, the activities of UK aviation companies are regulated by the Civil Aviation Authority CAA, whose tasks include flight safety issues, protecting the rights of passengers, environmental research, consulting, etc., as well as certifying passenger airliners and their crews, issuing licenses to aviation operators, control over the prices of passenger tickets on domestic flights and charges at UK airports.

The British authorities have developed the Air Transport Development Doctrine, which provides for the development of existing airports. Only BAA plans to invest until 2014 in the development of its airports 8.6 billion pounds. Art. According to forecasts, the number of air passengers will increase by 4% annually over the next decade, and by 2030 may grow 2-3 times. In addition, over the past 10 years, the transportation of goods has already doubled.

Speaking about trips to the airport, it can be noted that the easiest way to get to Heathrow. There is a choice between the Heathrow Express to Paddington Station and the Underground (the journey lasts an hour).

Gatwick Airport, the second largest airport, is also served by a special Gatwick Express train (the bus takes more than an hour).

Stansted Airport does not have a special train. An ordinary train travels forty minutes to Liverpool Street Station. London City Airport will have to travel half an hour by bus from the same station. And to the most insignificant and inconvenient Luton airport, you will have to go with a transfer from train to bus.

The total length of inland waterways in Great Britain is 5 thousand km, more than 70 sea and 200 river trading ports.

So, one of the components of London transport is the riverboats plying between the many piers on the Thames. They are owned by several companies that contain a total of twenty routes. The Thames fare system is its own. The cheapest way to travel around London is with travel tickets.

All areas of Great Britain, except for the West Midlands, are in one way or another directly connected with seaports, which serve as the main transport hubs. The largest of them are London, Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow, Bristol, Middlesbrough, Hull, Newcastle, Southampton, Milford Haven. Moreover, the London and Liverpool seaports pass about half of all cargo (by value).

Great Britain is connected with the mainland by a tunnel under the English Channel, two railway ferries (Dover-Dunkirk and Harwich-Ostend) and numerous sea car and passenger ferries - with Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Holland and France.

Every day, dozens of ferries and ships of different companies run between the continent and the cities of Great Britain - Dover, Portsmouth, Newhaven and others. The journey from Calais to Dover takes between half an hour and 90 minutes, depending on the distance and type of vehicle. From Newhaven to Dieppe - 4 hours, from Portsmouth to Le Havre - 5-7 hours.

INSTEAD OF CONCLUSION

Public transport in London is quite well developed - you can get to any point in the city by underground (the first in the world), the famous double-decker buses, express buses (green) or minibuses. The fare for all modes of transport (even the subway) depends on the distance.

The London taxi is one of the symbols of the British capital.

Tourists who feel unaccustomed to driving on the left can take advantage of the extensive rail network or developed airline system.

In intercity communications in the UK, traditional modes of transport are well developed - buses and trains. Maritime communication is also very developed, in connection with geographical location countries on the islands. Almost 90% of the total cargo turnover is accounted for by sea transport.

Of particular interest are the methods of intra-urban and suburban movement in the face of increasing population density.

In conclusion, it should also be noted that the UK government, not without reason, classifies transport infrastructure as a strategically important sector of the country's economy - for the seventh year in a row, a special long-term program for the development of the country's transport infrastructure for the period up to 2011 has been consistently implemented, the total cost of which is estimated at 180 billion dollars. f. Art., of which 50 billion are planned to be attracted from the private sector. As part of its implementation, a railway reform will be carried out. transport in order to increase passenger traffic by 50% and freight traffic by 80%, for which 6 thousand new cars and locomotives will be put into operation, the traffic safety system will be modernized. In accordance with the road infrastructure development plan, it is planned to build 80 new and 100 bypass roads, lay noise-absorbing pavement on 60% of main roads, increase bus transportation by 10%, increase the network of express roads by 5% (by 580 km), and improve the control system for vehicle traffic.

As a new excursion, you can offer such as "Hour tour of the Thames in an inflatable boat." This boat trip can be started near the largest Ferris wheel in the world, the London Eye. The journey can be laid past the Parliament, the National Maritime Museum, and end at the dam that protects the city from flooding. In this case, the guide could talk about London and the history of the Thames.

Each inflatable boat could accommodate only 12 passengers - they would be able to appreciate the maneuverability and at the same time the comfort of this vehicle. There are no age restrictions for those wishing to make such an excursion. For safety reasons, each passenger can be given a special vest, and in case of bad weather - a warm jacket. The ticket price for an adult will be from 25 pounds.

LIST OF USED SOURCES

Educational literature

1. Goncharov V.V. In Search of Management Excellence: A Guide for Senior Management: Experience from the Best Industrial Firms in the US, Japan, and Western Europe. - M .: MP "Souvener", 1993.

2. Railway transport // General transport issues and economics. - 2001. - Issue. 1-5.

3. Transport management: Proc. allowance / N.N. Gromov, V.A. Persianov, N.S. Uskov and others; Under total ed. N.N. Gromova, V.A. Persianova. – M.: Academy, 2003.

4. Pluzhnikov K.I. International transport market // Transport Information Bulletin. - 1998. - No. 2.

5. Fedorov L.S., Fedina T.V. Management and regulation in transport. – M.: GUU, 2001.

Materials of Internet resources

6. Sights of Great Britain. - http://www.infotravel.ru/

7. Time machine. - http://rw.travel.ru/

8. Plokhotnichenko Yu. London. Urban transport. - From 25.08.2000. - http://www.etur.ru/

9. Rokoshinsky A. Industry and transport in the UK // Basic Funds. No. 10. 2005. - http://www.os1.ru/

10. Communications and transport in the UK. - http://www.travelnn.ru/

11. Transport and foreign economic relations. - http://britaininfo.org.ru

Characteristics of the UK transport network. - Polevskoy: Polevskoy tourist information portal, 04.2007 [Electronic resource].- Access mode: http://www..html

Due to the fact that this state is located on the islands, transport in the UK has its own characteristics. To connect with the rest of the world click here Special attention is given to the development of maritime and water transport. Through the Channel Tunnel you can get to France by train or bus.

UK domestic transport

Interior UK transport, connecting cities and villages, is well developed in all areas: road, rail and bus. Major cities have subways. Citizens and tourists willingly use as a personal transport as well as for rent.

UK cars

Road transport in this country is very popular. UK cars in domestic transportation, they lead by a wide margin compared to other modes of transport. In Great Britain Left side traffic which is unusual for most other countries.

UK buses

Bus transportation in this country is quite popular among local population. However, for Russians, the price of UK buses may seem too high. As a rule, buses always arrive on time and are never late.

UK trains

The railway network is now widely developed . UK trains - this is one of my favorites and comfortable view transport, especially for intercity transportation. Although in rural areas the railway is unprofitable, it will not be closed because of the convenience of local residents. However, this is a very convenient network when you need to visit, some UK attractions.

UK Metro

All metro uk represented by subways in the largest cities: London, Glasgow, Liverpool and Newcastle. The Glasgow metro scheme is a circle line, the rest of the cities have an extensive network.

UK Bicycles

The British love cycling. So bikes uk is a very popular mode of transport. Especially United Kingdom helps to develop it by creating new bike lanes and opening more and more rental shops.

UK motorcycles

For motorcyclists in the UK there are all conditions for have a great holiday. High-quality roads are laid here, which makes UK motorcycles wonderful and very comfortable vehicle.

UK air transport

The most common and fastest way to get here was and remains air transport. UK air transport has over 450 airports. The largest of them is London's Heathrow, which can take tourists anywhere in the world.

UK water transport

Because of the insular position UK water transport developed on highest level. The UK is connected to the rest of Europe by ferry. And the largest British cities are also seaports. The largest transport hubs are London, Harwich, Goole and Liverpool.

The northernmost port in Essex, on the coast North Sea. It has regular ferry connections to the Netherlands (Hook van Holland) and Denmark (Esbjerg). Cruise ships also depart from Port of Harwich. Ferry and cruise ship timetables at www.harwichconnexions.co.uk/flash08_04_28/index.html

On the Thames, 30 km from the Tower Bridge, there is a cruise port terminal - an old building, rather modest by today's standards. From here, liners depart for cruises around the UK, to the fjords of Norway, to the geysers of Iceland.
You can get to Port of Tilbury by taxi or commuter train.

UK airports

Air transport is gaining more and more popularity in the UK. There are 450 civil airports in the country serving both international and domestic airlines.

"Heathrow" is a kind of giant, because it is the largest airport in the country, the leader in terms of workload in the European expanses and ranked 4th on the planet. The air hub is located at a distance of about 25 km southwest of the center of London. With the participation of 70 airlines, the flagship serves almost 200 destinations around the world. Heathrow has 5 terminals with a service system, cafes, lounges, ATMs, a business center, Wi-Fi, multi-storey parking. Directly at the airport, you can rent a car or take a taxi. Would you like to continue your journey by public transport? Welcome to the train / railway station or metro, as well as the bus, ready to take you to the bus station "Victoria". Other information is available on the air hub portal - www.heathrowairport.ru/.

The second step of the hit parade of the most popular air hubs in the UK is "Gatwick", meanwhile, in the category of the busiest airports, it is considered the first on the planet. With only one runway and a couple of terminals, this air hub is one of the leaders. The place of "registration" of the air station is Crawley, which is located 40 km from Brighton and 46 from London.
The terminals are connected by a metro line, and free of charge, ready to move you from the north of Gatwick to the south and vice versa in less than 2 minutes. The infrastructure of the air hub, as it should be the second most popular airport in the state, is at its best. There are shops, a children's center, a meeting room, and restaurants. And nearby is a whole kaleidoscope of hotels, including a capsule hotel. You can continue your journey around the UK by car (taxi or rented) and buses. For more information about Gatwick: www.gatwickairport.com/.

In third place, thanks to a sharp increase in passenger traffic in the last decade, Stansted settled, separated from London by 48 kilometers. "Stansted" is not only an air hub, but also a kind of architectural landmark. All thanks to the unusual shape of the terminal with a floating roof, similar to a flying swan, mounted on a frame made of "exposure" pipes that mask communications. You can leave the airport either by car or bus, or by rail. More information here - www.stanstedairport.com/.

Manchester Airport

"Manchester", which "registered" near the city of the same name, ranks fourth in the UK in terms of scale, but the first in terms of workload among non-capital "brothers". Three terminals of the air hub are connected by internal convenient passages, also - without leaving the building, you can go to the railway station or the Radisson hotel. Equipped with "Manchester" and a bus station, from which you can leave around the clock to many cities in the UK, as well as a taxi service. For more information, please visit www.manchesterairport.co.uk/.

Edinburgh airport

Edinburgh «, settled in the lands of Scotland, 13 km from the city of the same name, despite its modesty, ranks 8th in terms of scale. In addition, the territory of the air hub has been continuously expanding and modernizing for the past decade. You can learn more about Edinburgh by going to www.edinburghairport.com/.

This air hub is nestled right at the base of the Rock of Gibraltar - majestic, beautiful and so inaccessible. Despite the fact that this airport is at the disposal of the army, flights for civilians are also provided here.

Settled near Liverpool (12 km), the airport previously bore a not so famous name. Who knows, perhaps it is thanks to the name change that this air terminal is the fastest growing among its European “brothers”. On the territory of Liverpool John Lennon there is a bus station, a taxi service and other blocks of services that travelers may need. For more information www.liverpooljohnlennonairport.com/.

The air gate of the southwest territory of England is located at a distance of 13 km from Bristol. Bristol is in the TOP-10 busiest air hubs in the country and continues to develop rapidly. You can leave the airport both by buses to the bus and railway stations of Bristol, and by taxi. About everything - www.bristolairport.co.uk/.

Cardiff Airport

This airport is the only one in Wales with international flights. The airport settled down near the city - 20 km. By the way, it has other names - "Ruz", in honor of the village where it is located, as well as "Cardiff Wales". Free buses run to the nearest train station. Other data is available here - www.cwlfly.com/.

An extensive railway network, one of the oldest on the planet, is the pride of the British. Until now, the trains include old cars, as if they came out of a fairy tale, if you're lucky, you can ride in this one. The total length of the tracks is 34,000 km. The center of the British railway network, as befits the capital, is London. London's 14 railway stations serve intercity and suburban destinations as well as the international line via the Eurotunnel.

The popularity of rail transportation is due to the speed of trains, which has a significant advantage over the speed of buses. Also, the ratio of fare and comfort is in favor of the railway. Meanwhile, there is a great variation in prices, all because the railway business (namely, trains) is simultaneously owned by about 25 private firms. Some of the companies simply adhere to the standards, not chasing special indicators of speed, while others are constantly improving technology, so their services are more expensive. Experienced travelers recommend changing operators along the way, so you will achieve the optimal combination of speed, quality and price. At peak hours ( weekdays from 6 to 9 in the morning and from 4 to 7 in the afternoon) it is better not to plan the movement, since the rail transport is in high demand local residents. And be sure to book train tickets in advance (at least 7 days, and preferably 14), you can do this directly on the national rail website - www.nationalrail.co.uk/.

Metropolitan

In the UK, you can travel by tube in London, Newcastle, Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, Nottingham, Glasgow and Sheffield. By the way, the first metro was born in England, and the locals are proud of this fact. The cost of using the metro differs not only from the number of purchased trips / the validity period of the pass (1 day, week, month, etc.), but also the day of the week, travel time. Landmark - about £1 per trip. Trains follow not only underground tracks, but also on the surface, so you can admire the view of the city that you have chosen to relax. You can copy the metro map by going to www.planetolog.ru/map-metro.php?country=GB and www.200stran.ru/subway_country43.html.

There are many different types of taxis in the country, the prices for services of which vary depending on the class of car, its surroundings and the professionalism of the drivers passing by. special education and exams. In any city in the UK, both owners of cars and minibuses can obtain a taxi license. There is no single insignia in the country that a car is a taxi, the plates vary, but are invariably present, as a rule, in the back of the body or on the roof. Sometimes the identification mark is coloring - as in London. In the UK, special taxi services “minicab” have also been created, the fleets of which consist of minivans or sedans, where the fare is also counted by the meter, only iron “horses” should be ordered in advance. As a guide for prices, you can consider the following combination: landing - £1.2, each kilometer - £0.72. Meanwhile, do not forget about the traditional UK tip of 10%. Sometimes you come across cars without a meter, then you can agree on the amount, and it will be less than the specified rate, but you risk getting into a company without insurance and a license, and such a business is punishable in the UK.

Buses are quite popular in the UK, both within cities and between them or to other states. The quality of service is at the European level, the prices cannot be called cheap. True, there is a choice between different companies, so there is always a chance to find a better price. You can also win in payment by buying travel cards, the most popular of them are one-day ones. There are also night flights, which are slightly more expensive than regular routes. The cost of each bus trip within the city can be recorded in the expense plan as £1.
Remember an important point: when using buses, do not expect that you will cover the distance faster than on a trip, in the UK it is the other way around.
The end point of arrival/departure of an intercity direction is usually the city center, and this is very convenient. The bus "calling card" of the UK is double-decker buses, of which London is in abundance - spacious, with an excellent viewing angle, loved by tourists, so you can ride to your heart's content.
Which bus companies provide the best prices? Experienced tourists praise "Megabus" - www.uk.megabus.com (international traffic) and "CityLink" - www.citylink.co.uk (orientation to Scotland).

Warning: Driving on the left in the UK!
You can rent a car in one of the many companies that provide this service. Often, right at the airports, you can draw up a contract and go on a trip already by car. You can rent a car upon reaching the age of 21, with an international driver's license, driving experience of at least a year and insurance. A necessary condition is the payment of a deposit equal to the estimated cost of the rental.
When renting a car, you should remember that traffic safety in the UK is very high, compliance with the rules is strict, and the penalties for traffic violations are very strict. The most intense traffic on the roads is in cities and suburbs. In London, entrance to some areas is paid, parking is also paid.

In absentia, you are already familiar with transport in the UK, it's time to start putting your knowledge into practice!