Transport

6. TRANSPORT CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TRANSPORT SYSTEM

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Spain has a well-structured system of transport for both people and goods.

At an international level it has connections to other transport networks supporting commerce and tourism.

At a national level, the density of the transport network varies.

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Main Transport Networks: - Public investment in the modernising of infrastructure has made it possible to build roads and high-speed ralways and to improve airports and sea ports.

- Airline routes and low-cost flights have made it easier for people to get around, and so promotes tourism.

- The road and railway networks are both radial, arranged around a central point, in Madrid, but connections between other egions are increasing.

6. TRANSPORT TYPES OF TRANSPORT - Means of transport are the different systems of moving passengers and goods fro one place to another.

-1. Road Transport: - This is the main form of passenger and goods transport.

- Spain has a dense radial network that reaches every part of the country.

- The central government infrastrcture plans propose a shift to a mesh network. The objective is avoid having the majority of the country’s traffic run through Madrid.

- The Spanish road network is made up of roads pwned by different authorities: - Town councils - Provincial and island council - autonomous communities - The State - It is also part of the European road network.

6. TRANSPORT 2. Rail Transport - It is suitable for long-distance goods transport, due to the cost and volume.

- In terms of passengers, if faces serious competition from road transport.

- There are significant territorial imbalances due to a lack of public investment in infrastructure in certain regions.

- The two main types of rail transport used by passengers are: - Local and suburban trains in metropolitan areas.

- High –speed rail (AVE) over long distances

6. TRANSPORT 3. Air Travel and Transport - This is used for travellers and urgen lightweight highvalue goods.

- The Spanish airport network is made up of 46 government run (by AENA) and two private airports.

- The majority of passenger traffic is concetrated at the airports in major cities (Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao) and coasal desinations (the Canaries, the Balearicsand the Costa del Sol) with international connections.

6. TRANSPORT 4. Sea and river transport - This is mainly used for goods transports because of its low cost and high carrying capacity.

- It is the way most of our import and exports are transported.

- The most important forms of passengers transport are : - Short-distance ferries (between the peninsula and Ceuta, Melilla and the archipelagos, and between islands) - Tourist cruise ships - About river trasport, the only navigable river is the Guadalquivir.