A UK City: Bristol » Bristol: Opportunities

Change can be good news

Cities never stand still. People arrive, businesses open, old buildings are reused and new roads and bus routes appear. This is urban change. In Bristol, urban change has created many opportunities. The spec groups them as social and economic, and environmental. You need named Bristol examples for each.

Remember, migration has shaped Bristol's character. This lesson is about what that growth and change has made possible.

Key terms:

• Cultural mix: a city where people from many different backgrounds, faiths and traditions live side by side.
• Recreation: things people do in their free time to relax and keep fit, such as sport and walking in parks.
• Entertainment: events and places people go to be amused, such as theatres, music venues, cinemas and festivals.
• Integrated transport system: different types of transport (bus, rail, cycling, walking, air) linked together so that journeys are easy to plan and change between.
• Urban greening: adding plants, trees, parks and other green spaces to a built-up area.

Social and economic opportunities: a cultural mix

Bristol's cultural mix is an opportunity in its own right. People from many places bring food, music, languages and ideas. This makes the city more interesting to live in and visit.

The mix creates both social and economic benefits:

Recreation and entertainment

A big city can support places and events that a small town could not. Bristol has a lot to offer people in their free time:

• Culture and history: the SS Great Britain, the M Shed museum and the Arnolfini art gallery.
• Performance: the Bristol Old Vic theatre, the Bristol Hippodrome and the Bristol Beacon concert hall.
• Shopping: Cabot Circus in the city centre.
• Sport: Bristol City, Bristol Rovers and Bristol Bears rugby.
• Events: the Bristol Harbour Festival and the International Balloon Fiesta at Ashton Court.

These bring social benefits, because people have things to do and places to meet. They also bring economic benefits. Theatres, stadiums and shops employ staff. Big events bring in visitors who use hotels, taxis and restaurants. More spending means more jobs.

Employment

Urban change has changed the types of job in Bristol. The old docks no longer bring in most of the work. Bristol now has a wide range of employers:

• Education: the University of Bristol and the University of the West of England employ many staff and bring in thousands of students who spend money locally.
• Health: hospitals such as Southmead and the Bristol Royal Infirmary.
• Creative and digital industries: film, television, animation and technology companies.
• Shops, hospitality and tourism: from city centre stores to out-of-town shopping at Cribbs Causeway.

A mix of jobs is a strength. If one industry struggles, people can find work in another. Higher wages mean more money spent in local shops, and this creates still more jobs.

Integrated transport systems

A city of this size needs people to move around quickly. Bristol has worked towards an integrated transport system by linking different forms of transport together:

• Rail: Bristol Temple Meads and Bristol Parkway connect the city to London, Wales and the rest of the UK.
• Bus: MetroBus routes opened from 2018. They use dedicated bus lanes and busways for much of their routes, so buses avoid much of the traffic.
• Park and Ride: people leave their car on the edge of the city and take a bus in.
• Cycling and walking: Bristol was named England's first Cycling City in 2008, and the Bristol and Bath Railway Path is a long traffic-free route.
• Air and roads: Bristol Airport, and the M4 and M5 motorways.
• Water: ferries run on the Floating Harbour.

An integrated system is an opportunity because it lets people reach jobs, schools, hospitals and leisure more easily. It also makes the city more attractive to businesses, which want workers who can get to the office. It can reduce the number of car journeys, which helps reduce traffic and pollution.

Environmental opportunity: urban greening

Cities are often seen as grey places. Urban greening makes them greener. In 2015 Bristol was named European Green Capital, which recognised its work on making the city cleaner and greener.

Bristol has many green spaces, including:

• Ashton Court Estate, a large park on the edge of the city.
• The Downs, an open grassland close to the Avon Gorge.
• Brandon Hill, a park near the city centre.
• Community gardens and allotments, where people grow their own food.
• Street trees and green roofs, which are small but add up across a city.

Urban greening creates several environmental benefits. Trees and plants take in carbon dioxide and some air pollution. Green spaces are cooler than concrete on hot days. They also give wildlife a home and can help rainwater soak into the ground instead of running into drains.

There are social benefits too. Parks give people free recreation, and being in green space can improve mental health. You can use this link in an answer: environmental benefit first, then a social benefit.

Putting it together

For a case study answer, think in three steps. First, name the opportunity (for example, an integrated transport system). Second, give a Bristol example (MetroBus, Park and Ride or the Railway Path). Third, say who benefits and how (commuters, businesses, the environment).

Exam-style question

Using a case study of a major city in the UK, answer the following.

(a) Name one social opportunity created by urban change in your city. [1 mark]

(b) Explain how urban greening has created environmental opportunities in your city. [3 marks]

(c) Explain how employment has created economic opportunities in your city. [3 marks]