Close-up p 77. City Living. Extra Oral Mediation

A friend of yours from England is thinking about starting a business in your area. While doing his research, he came across these pictures on Google. He shares them with you and asks you some questions about them. You decide to send your friend a voice message with an explanation of 3 minutes.

1. Are there cycle lanes in your area?  Would you like to have a cycle hub where you live? How could it promote and facilitate cycling?   
2. Is public transport working well in your area? Do you think that the idea of having a tram in your area is feasible? What are the merits and demerits of your public transport? Do commuters use it? 
3. Do you think that the science and technology parks where you live are a haven for start-ups. Are they essential in order to promote innovation? Are they prosperous in your area? What about industrial estates? Is the central business district in your area thriving? 
4. Has the high street been hit hard by the recession? What is being done to make it more affluent? 
5. Does your town offer a great variety of local amenities? Do they enhance the citizens' quality of life? What leisure facilities does your town boast?  
6. Have the eras of boom and bust produced any white elephants in your area? Have any of these buildings experienced abandonment? Can you think of a building that you would regard as a blot on the landscape?
7. Is your city able to host major international events? Does it have the infrastructure?
8. What areas of your town are currently undergoing urban regeneration? What are the benefits and problems of gentrification where you live? 
9. Do you have the problem of traffic congestion in your town? Have tolls been introduced?
10. Do you think your towns is fast becoming a concrete jungle and a highly congested place? Do you think there should be more green spaces? What else do you think should be done? Do you think building more ring roads could solve the problem?
11. Is the A&E department in your area overstretched? Are there other overstretched services in your region as a consequence of cutbacks in public spending?
12. In the 1970s we did our shopping at family-run retailers like the butcher's, the baker's, the greengrocer's or the newsagent's. Nowadays when a big-box store opens, smaller retailers often go out of business. What are the benefits and drawbacks of such a sweeping change? Would people in your area welcome a boutique shop?