Unit 6 topic 3 (changing structure of urban settlements)

• Trafford Centre


  A shopping centre in Manchester, UK that opened in 1998
• Trafford Centre


  • More than just a shopping centre
  • Has a 1600-seat food court
  • Has a ten-pin bowling alley
  • Has a laser quest
  • Has a 20-screen cinema
  • Has Barton Square with furniture retail outlets
• When the Trafford Centre opened

  Many people were concerned about its negative impacts on Manchester's CBD
• Trafford Centre location


  • Easily accessible by road
  • Located with its own junction off the M60
  • Close to the intersection of the M62 and M602, the major arterial route into Manchester from the West
  • 5.5 million people live within a 45-minute drive (10% of the UK population)
• Advantages of the Trafford Centre

  • Good motorway links (M6, M62, M602)
  • 11,000 free parking spaces, with automated capacity updates on approach roads
  • A bus station dealing with 120 buses each hour
  • Facilities for disabled shoppers (shop-mobility unit)
  • Its own security system with tannoy and meeting point for lost children
  • A full range of non-retail services includes a post office, bank and travel agents
• Disadvantages of out-of-town retailing

  • Heavy build-ups of traffic on access roads, especially bank/Christmas holidays
  • The atmosphere inside is artificial and often does not reflect the surrounding area's character
  • All outlets are chain stores-too expensive for independent businesses
  • Public transport services are restricted compared to access by car-this causes issues for the elderly
• The Trafford Centre


  Takes business away from the CBD area of the nearby towns and cities