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Increase of car ownership
Increased car ownerships have been occurring for the past 50 years. The increasing trend of ownerships of cars have caused a drop in demand for traditional types of public transport such as passenger trains. Thew growth of car ownerships has caused a rise in environmental problems which include pollution, congestion and the loss of land to further road buildings. -
Privatisation
Privation has created both positive and negative impacts on the travel and tourism industry over the years. Privation has led to increased competition and innovation within the travel and tourism sector. Private companies have been invested in improving infrastructure such as airports and transportation systems.
On the other hand, privatisation has led to concerns. It has led to higher prices for services such as transportation and accommodations. -
Widening of Motorways
The first widening of the motorway in the last 60 years was the M25 motorway. The first widening project began in the 1980s. The M25 is one of he busiest motorways in the UK and the widening was done gradually to ensure no congestion and improve the traffic flow.
The M1 and M6 motorways in the UK have also undergone widening projects at different times. The M1 widening projects was completed from 2000s to 2010. The M6 was also started in 2000 and continued in 2010. -
Airport expansions
Airport expansion is one of the biggest areas of concerns in environmental issues over the years. There are expansions that are still planned in seven different airports in England.
The first airport expansion was London Stansted airport. It began in the early 1980s and continued throughout the decade. The expansion in London Stagnated airport involved the construction of a new terminal and runway to accommodate the growing demand for air travel in the UK -
Noise pollution
noise pollution has been an ongoing issue for many years. A lot of challenges are arising in different places at different times in the UK. Surface transport is responsible for around. aquatic ion uk emissions of carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is a major contributor to climate change and traffic noise blights many neighbourhoods. In town centres as well as busy roads, motor vehicles are responsible for local pollutions and most environmental noise pollution. -
Customer lifestyles
The increase in customers lifestyle is mainly to do with holiday entitlement. Holiday entitlement is responsible for the seasonality of travel and tourism as a lot of parents take holidays in the summer as they have children. The working week around the 1980s and before was around 50 hours whereas from the 1990s the working week was made shorter to an average of 37 hours a week. From the 1990s an lot more people were more flexible to work as well as go on holidays. -
Protest Camp
The first protest camp was established in 1981 by a group of women who were protesting against nuclear weapons at the Greenham common airbase in Berkshire. The protest camp lasted 20 years and became an iconic symbol of the anti-nuclear movement. The women at the camp organised peaceful protests and demonstrations to raise awareness about peace and disarmament. -
Introduction of budget airlines
Budget airlines have revolutionised travel in the uk over the past 60 years. One of the earliest and most well known budget airline was found in 1984 which was Ryanair. It started as a focus on low cost travelling between Ireland and the UK however to today, they have expanded to other routed across the world. -
Air passenger duty
Air passenger duty is a tax that is on passengers flying from the Uk airports. It was introduced in 1994 as an environmental tax to discourage air travel and reduce carbon emissions. Air passenger duty has undergone serval changes over the years including adjustments to tax rates and exemptions for certain passengers. Air passenger duty is one of the main ways that the government aims to address the environmental concerns associated with air travel in the UK. -
Opening of the Channel Tunnel
The channel tunnel also referred to as the 'chunnel' opened on the 6th May 1994. It connects the United Kingdom and France which allows train travel between the both countries. The channel tunnel stretches over 31 miles which is approximently 50 kilometres Granth the English Channel. The channel tunnel is great for facilitated transportation and trade between the UK and mainland Europe. -
Online check in
Alaska Airlines was the first to offer online check in to their guests in 1999. Online check in at the airport allows passengers to check in for their flights in advance through the website or mobile app. Online check in prevents you from waiting in the long queues at the airport. Online check in involves entering your booking details, selecting your seats as well as obtaining your boarding passes electronically. Once you arrive at the airport you can head straight to security. -
Commuting
Commuting has caused a significant impact to the travel and tourism industry over the years. Commuting has increased the demand for transportation infrastructure such as roads, trains and buses. This has led to improvements in transportation networks which makes it a lot easier for tourists to access different destinations in the UK.
however, commuting has led to overcrowding in popular tourist destinations such as London and has led to an increase in traffic congestion. -
Introduction of congestion charges
London was the first city in the UK to introduce a congestion charge which began on the 17th February 2003. Congestion charges was implemented to reduce congestion and encourage public to use public transportation. Since the introduction of congestion charges in London, other cities such as Durham and bath have also implemented their own congestion charges in order to make an effort in managing the traffic and promote sustainable transportation. -
Smart motorways
A smart motorway was launched in 2006. A smart motorway is a section of a highway that uses technology to manage the traffic.Smart motorways involve the use of many different features such as variable speed limits, active traffic management and the ability to open and close when needed. The main goal of a smart motorway is to reduce congestion, enhance safety and provides smoother driving experience for drivers. -
Emissions
Emissions have been a big concern in the Uk in cities due to impact of air quality. Various measures have been implemented including the establishment of clean air zones in many cities across the Uk, promoting more electric vehicles, improving public transportation as well as encouraging more cycling and walking.
Clean air zones have been introduced in various cities at different times. London introduced its low emission zone in 2008 while other cities like Birmingham implemented in 2021. -
Planning regulations
Planning regulations have played a big role in the travel and tourism industry. The strict regulations over the years has helped preserve the natural and cultural heritage of areas around the UK. This has led to the enhanced appeal of destinations as well as attracted more tourists. However, overly restrictive planning regulations over the years has limited the growth and development of tourism infrastructure. This has led to a lack of accommodation options and limited tourist attractions. -
Income
Income has played a big role in the travel and tourism industry. Higher income over the years has led to increased travel. Higher incomes have enabled people to afford higher quality accommodations, dining experiences and attractions which has contributed towards the growth of the travel and tourism industry.
Lower incomes can limit people's ability to travel and engage in tourism activities. Tourists with lower incomes may have to prioritise expenses over leisure travel. -
tax
Since the 1st April 2023, Manchester has implemented a tourist tax in which £1 charge has been added to the cost of a room per night. Business travellers are exempt but will need to have proof. The money of the tourist tax will be used for festivals, conferences, large events, market campaigns as well as street cleanliness.
Other towns and cities have also introduced their own type of tourist tax such as Bath. They have a local tourist tax called 'transient visitor levy' or 'tourist tax'.