Challenges in Cities (OCR GCSE Geography B)

London’s housing stock has not kept up with population growth plus prices and rents have increased rapidly

Rents are double the UK average making housing some of the least affordable in the world

Many lower income workers cannot afford to buy or rent, so they either have to commute into London or share a house with others

London has a good transport system, but is under pressure due to the rising population 

Roads are frequently congested and slow (the average speed during the day is 8mph), which impacts lost office hours or makes worker hours longer

Approx. 1 million commuters arrive daily on overcrowded trains and delays on the 'tube' have doubled 

London has some of the best health care and education services in the UK, although some people struggle to access these services or have access to private health care and bypass the system

Hospitals are often overcrowded and waiting times for doctors and consultant appointments have increased, congested roads delay ambulances

Wealthy people access fee paying schools and some of the best state schools in the country, leaving children from poorer families in underperforming schools, therefore, widening the gap between children’s attainment

There is a wage disparity with the average wage in Kensington and Chelsea being £130,000, compared to Newham where it is less than £30,000 a year

London's economy consists of 96% service industry positions, often low-paid with zero hours contracts. Many migrants are exploited and are paid below minimum wage and have to work several jobs to meet basic needs

Unemployment increases in areas which are more deprived. Often people do not have the skills or education to have employment and if they do it is poorly paid. Many people in Tower Hamlets (a poor area) cannot get jobs in Canary Warf despite the close distance

This inequality impacts life expectancy which varies across Greater London by 5 years

Over 60% of the population live in slums around the city, and typically found on unfavourable land, such as swamps and the lagoon.

The largest slum is Makoko, where the homes are built on wooden stilts within the low-lying lagoon itself due to the risk of flooding

The houses (huts) are built illegally, with communal toilets, and the waste goes directly into the lagoon waters, polluting the water

There is no running water and there is a 3km to the communal water point

Electricity is obtained illegally by connecting to the city’s supply

About 60% of people in Lagos work in informal jobs, either scavenging through the waste in rubbish dumps, becoming street vendors or working on the docks

Street vendor stalls can be bulldozed to make way for new developments

Informal jobs pay very little, require very long hours and has no job protection

Crime rates are high and includes gun/gang violence and drugs.

There is one primary school, but few parents can afford to send their children regularly

Rapid urbanisation is causing dangerous levels of traffic congestion and pollution 

However, there is a lack of health care services and many people can’t afford to access the service

Most people do not have access to clean water or sanitation, leading to disease and illness such as cholera and diarrhoea

The stagnant water of the lagoon is a breeding ground for mosquitoes, leading to the spread of diseases of malaria

Just 40% of the 10,000 tonnes of daily waste produced in Lagos is collected and taken to large rubbish dumps, e.g. Olusosun

Many of these rubbish dumps contain toxic waste where people pick over the waste to make a living. Many of these people have no formal training or protective clothing and are exposed to unsafe material