Рабочий лист "London transport"

Task 1 – Find somebody who….

Read the text about transport in the UK and put the paragraph headings in the correct places. Then discuss the questions below:

• International commuting

• Commuting options

• A lifestyle thing

• Staying at home

• The greener option

With conventional modes of transport becoming less appealing, commuters are finding alternative methods of getting to work.

1)

Roads in the UK are becoming increasingly crowded which means more traffic jams and longer journeys for those who travel to work by car. Public transport is seen to be expensive and unreliable, and is often not available, particularly to people living in rural areas. Although more people cycle to work now, many think cycling is dangerous on our busy roads.

2)

That’s why some people are prepared to take drastic action to avoid the nightmare of conventional commuting. Cheap flights have enabled people to commute from places as far-flung as Barcelona, Marrakech and even Tallinn. A recent report (Future Forum) suggests that by 2016, 1.5 million people will be working in the UK but living overseas.

3)

Flexible working hours and advances in technology have also helped to make this possible. Ellie Portland,24, who works for a television production company in London, uses budget airlines to commute to work from her home in Barcelona. It is not feasible to commute daily, so she travels to the UK once a week and stays for a few days with friends or family in London. And for the rest of the week she is able to work from her ‘virtual office’ at home in Spain. There are added benefits, as Ellie explains, ‘I have a better quality of life in Barcelona and rent, food and clothes are much cheaper.’

4)

Not everyone, however, thinks this is a sustainable alternative. John,26, from Lincoln thinks it’s ‘irresponsible… and selfish. The sky will become more like the M25… what a disaster for the environment!’ Another more environmentally friendly option is Eurostar. High-speed train routes between the UK, France and Belgium are due to be opened next year which would mean travelling between London and Lille, for example, will take just 80 minutes.

5)

For those who prefer to continue to live in the UK, another form of public transport was introduced in Brighton with plans to extend to other cities. Twelve tuk-tuks, three-wheeled vehicles prevalent in Asia, were imported to the UK from India. Adapted for the British climate – with hoods and curtains to keep out the rain – they were environmentally friendly and ideal for getting around towns and cities. Although it sounds like a fun way to get to work, unfortunately, they didn’t become popular, and people are back using the bus!

Connie (British Council’s Trend UK team)

M25 - Motorway circling London

Eurostar - Train service between the UK and Europe via the Channel Tunnel

• Are the transport problems in the UK similar to those in your country?

• What do you think about living in one country and working in another? Do you think that it is irresponsible?

• Do you think cycling in a city centre is dangerous?

• What other transport solutions can you think of for big cities?