THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FREIGHT TRANSPORT ORGANIZATION AND INDUSTRIAL LINKAGE IN BRITAIN

It is argued that studies of industrial linkages have given inadequate attention to the role of the transport industry in maintaining them. By focusing on the functional relationship between plants in the overall crcle of production, the importance of transport reliability and other qualities of service factors is emphasized. A census of industrial traffic in the north-west midlands provides data to show how manufacturers' preferences for various modes of transport, based more on service quality than on cost, have spatial implications. A paradox appears in that the more valuable goods, which theoretically travel most widely, demand the transport qualities associated with private transport, which has a generally restricted field of movement. It is shown, however, that under conditions which allow for efficient utilization of vehicle capacity, private vehicles can maintain linkages over long distances competitively with professional transport. The regular flow of components to large engineering factories is one such case. It is difficult to prove that the structure of the transport industry in itself directly influences the distribution of industry, or to define the spatial limits of viable daily journeys, but it is nevertheless clear that regulations such as those governing drivers' hours have important, if latent, spatial implications. /Author/TRRL/

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Carlton University, Canada
• Corporate Authors:

  Institute of British Geographers

  1 Kensington Gore
  London SW7 2AR,   England 
• Publication Date: 1974-7

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 25-43
• Serial:
  • Institute of British Geographers, Transactions
  • Issue Number: 62
  • Publisher: Institute of British Geographers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Classification; Commodities; Competition; Costs; Demand; Economic efficiency; Freight traffic; Freight transportation; Industrial areas; Industrial buildings; Level of service; Logistics; Modal split; Mode choice; Private trucking; Quality control; Rates; Reliability; Size; Traffic managers; Traffic surveys; Transportation modes; Vehicles
• Uncontrolled Terms: Efficiency; Quality; Shippers
• Geographic Terms: United Kingdom
• ITRD Terms: 1057: Air transport network; 8513: Classification; 224: Cost; 9014: Dimension; 283: Freight; 1112: Freight transport; 343: Industrial area; 653: Level of service; 675: Modal split; 676: Traffic survey; 8119: United Kingdom
• Subject Areas: Economics; Finance; Freight Transportation; Highways; Motor Carriers; Planning and Forecasting; Railroads; Society; Terminals and Facilities; Vehicles and Equipment; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00097945
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL)
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Aug 27 1975 12:00AM