The aims of this section are that students will:

• Appreciate the complex nature of the current transport situation in Northern Ireland.
  
• Recognise that there is a high degree of dependency in Northern Ireland on private transport, and that this situation is not sustainable.
  
• Realise that the transport networks and policy decisions must be carefully managed, to ensure their sustainability.

By the end of this unit students will be able to:

• Realise that important decisions have to be made regarding the future of transport in NI.
  
• Recognise that the transport system in NI is made up of a series of interconnected hubs, gateways and corridors
  
• Understand that the means by which people and goods have been transported in NI has changed significantly over time.
  
• Appreciate that the increased use of roads creates problems to which solutions are not easily found.
  
• Evaluate the methods government can use to influence people's choice of transport.
  
• Evaluate the extent to which rail can play a part in the sustainable development of transport in NI.
  
• Realise that NI is reliant on its ports and airports for the import and export of goods, ideas, services and people.
  
• Appreciate that in order to encourage people to replace car journeys with walking or cycling, a range of polices and changes must be introduced.
  
• Identify the wide range of opinions there are with respect to the creation of a by-pass around a town.
  
• Realise that the decisions that have to be made to improve transport in a sustainable manner in NI are difficult ones.