European Port Cities in Transition

European ports have always been unique and important urban centres - links with the outside world, regional centres for their hinterlands, cultural, economic and social filters and magnifiers. They possess rich historical legacies, but under changing economic circumstances they often have to restructure their facilities and urban fabrics to meet new challenges. This book, published to coincide with the prestigious meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, in Southampton in 1992 and adopted as the official publication, reviews the role of European ports today, particularly in relation to their changing functions and structure. The particular problem of the old-established "heavy industry" ports are outlined, as are the obsolescent ports of the emergent East European democracies. The perspective is Europe-wide and the problems of integration within the present and potentially wider future European Community is addressed. Modern alternatives to traditional functions like leisure, and business adaptations of waterfront areas are studied, as are environmental and economic issues.
A key addition to the literature for geographers, economists, planners, urbanists and transport specialists.