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Within the borough of Telford & Wrekin, the town is entirely parished. Telford has no single town council because of this, and the Mayor of the Borough of Telford and Wrekin is also de facto the town's mayor. The town is also divided into Wards, within the Telford and Wrekin borough. These are used for electoral purposes and demographic surveys. Telford is an unusual town in that it was created politically - from the fusion of other independent, smaller towns; Wellington, Madeley, Hadley, Oakengates, Dawley, Ironbridge, Shifnal and Donnington. As a result of this, the town has much clearer divisions than in other older towns, such as nearby Shrewsbury, which have developed into one consolidated urban area over time. Some small settlements to the south, such as a part of Ironbridge and Broseley, while part of the Telford Urban Area, are administered by Bridgnorth Borough Council.
Telford is the only settlement within the Telford parliamentary constituency, although some suburbs, such as Wellington, are located in The Wrekin, a neighbouring constituency. Telford has been held by Labour since its creation in 1997, and the current MP is David Wright. The neighbouring Wrekin constituency has varying support between the Conservatives and Labour, due to its mix of rural and urban (Newport) areas. It is currently held by the Conservatives however, under MP Mark Pritchard. Telford is administratively part of the West Midlands region.
[edit] Demography
A clickable link map of the component towns of Telford and surrounding villages.
In 1963 Dawley new town was intended to take 50,000 people from the West Midlands conurbation[8] and so to grow to a town of 70,000 or more. By 1968 Telford was intended to take an additional 50,000 and grow to a town of 220,000 or more by 1991. By 1983, however, Telford's population was just under 108,000, and it was generally thought that it might not reach 120,000 by the late 1980s. [4]
With 138,241 inhabitants in 2001, Telford is now the largest town in Shropshire, and 39th largest settlement in England, although it missed the original target of 250,000 by the year 2000. Town planners now hope to drastically expand the town over the next 14 years, again hoping to reach a 250,000 population by 2020. There are concerns, however, that the local infrastructure will not accommodate such a large influx of people.[citation needed]
Telford has a younger than average population, and a higher rate of teenage pregnancy than the national average, as well as relatively high levels of income deprivation with 15% of residents living in low income households. In addition the level of statutorily homeless households in 2004/05 was above average for England.[9] There are several severely deprived wards in the town centre area. Areas such as Donnington, Woodside and Malinslee are the most deprived, while, in contrast, areas on the periphery experience relative affluence, such as Lawley and Priorslee. There is a notable rural/urban divide; in the surrounding rural areas of Telford, such as the wards of Wrockwardine, and Shawbirch, there is a large percentage of relatively wealthy families and individuals.[10] The Telford and Wrekin area is a popular commuter zone, containing some relatively rural areas in the North and West of the borough. These are popular with commuters to the West Midlands conurbation, due to the good transport links provided by the A5/M54.
The town is largely White ethnically, comprising 93.8% of the population, which is higher than the West Midlands average (86.9%), and the England average (89.1%). The next largest ethnic group is those of Asian descent, comprising 3.3% of the population, which is again less than the West Midlands at 8.0%, and England at 5.3%.[11] However, the town and borough remains comparatively more ethnically diverse than the ceremonial county, with South Shropshire for example being 97.8% white.[12]
[edit] Economy
Population and Employment[13]
|
Date |
Population |
No. of Jobs |
% of Jobs on
Ind. Estates |
1968 |
74,750 |
35,671 |
1.4 |
1969 |
76,200 |
35,710 |
2.4 |
1970 |
78,200 |
35,948 |
5.1 |
1971 |
80,800 |
36,191 |
7.2 |
1972 |
84,200 |
36,743 |
9.3 |
1973 |
87,100 |
39,861 |
11.4 |
1974 |
89,000 |
40,928 |
13.2 |
1975 |
90,000 |
40,986 |
12.3 |
1976 |
93,980 |
42,036 |
14.9 |
1977 |
97,900 |
43,637 |
15.4 |
1978 |
100,300 |
44,681 |
16.8 |
1979 |
102,000 |
44,247 |
18.2 |
1980 |
104,200 |
42,397 |
18.3 |
1981 |
104,200 |
39,414 |
16.8 |
1982 |
106,600 |
38,852 |
18.2 |
1983 |
107,700 |
39,037 |
19.9 |
During the economic crisis of the late 1960s unemployment in the town was high. However, in 1967 Halesfield Industrial Estate was founded on the south-eastern edge of the town. Other large estates followed, in 1973 with Stafford Park just east of the town centre and in 1979 with Hortonwood, to the north. In total, half a million square metres of factory space were provided between 1968 and 1983, making Telford an attractive investment area. [14] By 1976, Telford had begun to recruit industry from the U.S.A., Europe, and Japan. The foreign firms required larger factories, and they began to be built at Stafford Park. By 1983 over 2,000 jobs in Telford were provided by around 40 (mostly American) foreign companies.[15] In contrast to industry in the Black County at the time, these new companies focused on high-technology industries rather than the heavy and metal-finishing industries. [16]
The new arrivals included the American company Unimation and three firms from Japan: Nikon U.K. Ltd., which opened a warehouse at Halesfield in 1983;[17] video tape manufacturers Hitachi Maxell at Apley Castle in 1983; [18] and office equipment manufacturers Ricoh, who took a 22 acre site for a factory at Priorslee next to the M54, and formed the first in Telford's new enterprise zone. [19][20]
Consequently, from the later 1970s, Telford began to attract high-technology firms and to diversify its industry, and the promotion of the Service industry also began to prosper, in the Telford Town Centre area. However, a deepening national recession meant that, despite the creation of new jobs, there were net job losses from 1979. Unemployment grew from 3.4 per cent in 1969 to over 8 per cent in 1972 and 22.3 per cent in 1983; long-term unemployment rose even faster. Nevertheless the rate of increase in unemployment was slowing down by 1983 and was making some progress against national and regional trends. [21]
Telford has attracted several large IT services companies, including EDS who support the MOD contract from the Euston Park site, as well as a vast array of clients across the world from the Plaza building. Also Capgemini and Fujitsu employ a significant number of staff in the area, mainly supporting their HM Revenue & Customs client.
In recent times there has been significant job losses, with the movement of 500 Defence Logistics Organisation (DLO) jobs at the MOD base at Sapphire House, Telford, to Bristol. The closure of the local sugar beet factory at Allscott in 2007 is another recent example.
[edit] Landmarks
The commercial centre of the town is the aptly named Telford Town Centre, located off Junction 5 of the M54 motorway. It is home to the administrative headquarters of Telford & Wrekin council, the large Telford Shopping Centre (and the accompanying Town Park), various office blocks, such as the blue office towers (Telford Plaza), and the Windsor Life building. The Forge retail park and a large Odeon Cinema are also located in the area, as well as Thomas Telford School, which is within walking distance. Telford also houses one of the Midlands only ice skating rinks near the newly built Telford International Centre (TIC).
A major Telford landmark is The Iron Bridge, located in Ironbridge. It was the first bridge of its size in the world made out of cast iron. In the same area is the Ironbridge Gorge, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
[edit] Education
Telford has a number of primary and secondary schools. Of particular notability is Thomas Telford School, a City Technology College (CTC), which claims to have a 100% pass rate at GCSE level, with all students achieving at least 4 GCSE's grades A*-C,[22] placing it at number one in the entire country for Key Stage 4 attainment. The Abraham Darby Specialist School For The Performing Arts provides specialist performing arts education and is home to one of the UK's best school concert bands which has performed at prestigious venues such as Birmingham Symphony Hall, Royal Festival Hall London, Royal Albert Hall and also Carnegie Hall, New York.
Further education is handled by Telford College of Arts and Technology (TCAT) and Telford New College, a sixth-form college located in Wellington. Adams' Grammar School is a selective school located in nearby Newport.
Telford is also home to The University of Wolverhampton Business School (UWBS) campus and the School of the Built Environment.
Madeley Academy is a sport collage and a building will be built and opened for September 2009.
[edit] Transport
The M54 shown here near Junction 5 for Telford Centre, which is visible in the background to the left.
Telford is situated at the terminus of the M54 motorway, a spur of the M6 linking the town with Wolverhampton and the West Midlands, and on the A5 road between Shrewsbury and Cannock. The town also has three railway stations: Wellington, Oakengates and Telford Central, which are on the Shrewsbury to Wolverhampton Line. In addition, there are two further stations, Spring Village and Horsehay & Dawley, at Telford Steam Railway, situated at Horsehay.
Telford's rapidly growing population still has a relatively low car ownership. In 2004 Telford & Wrekin council was awarded 'Beacon Status' for improving access to public transport.[23] Being a new town with a planned transport infrastructure, the town features relatively few traffic problems, in comparison to the urban areas of Birmingham or medieval streets of Shrewsbury.[24] The M54 removes all through-traffic from local roads, and the A442 Queensway acts as a north-south artery road.[25]
Telford is home to a variety of established amateur, semi-pro and professional sports clubs. AFC Telford United Football Club are currently playing in Conference North, and their current manager is Rob Smith. AFC Telford's achievements include Best Shropshire Senior Cup Performance: Final - 3 Times, and Promotion to Conference North in 2007, after beating Witton Albion in the play-offs 3-1. There have been many American football teams in the town, although presently Shropshire Revolution a British American Football League, founded in 2006, is the ony club in the town and the county of Shropshire. Previous clubs include Wrekin Giants (1985-1989), Shropshire Giants (1989), and Cannock Chase Giants (1989-1993/4). Hockey in the town is represented by the Telford Tigers, an EPL Premier Team, and Telford Tigers ENL an ENL Team. Rugby clubs include Telford Raiders, Telford Hornets, and the Shropshire Scorpions.
[edit] Closest cities, towns and villages
Destinations from TELFORD |
Shawbury, Wem |
Market Drayton
|
Lilleshall, Newport, Stafford |
Shrewsbury |
|
Shifnal, Albrighton, Cannock |
Much Wenlock, Church Stretton |
Broseley, Bridgnorth
|
Wolverhampton, Walsall, Dudley, West Bromwich, Birmingham |
[edit] See also
The Wrekin hill overlooks the town.
[edit] References
- , a b Telford - A Unique New Town. Transforming Telford. Retrieved on 2008-03-22.
- , Telford Town Centre. Retrieved on 2007-10-02.
- , M54, The Telford Motorway. The Motorway Archive. Retrieved on 2008-04-18.
- , a b c d e History of Telford. British History Online. Retrieved on 2008-03-21.
- , London Gazette. 18 January 1963.
- , London Gazette. 13 December 1963.
- , BBC Shropshire - Redevelopment scheme unveiled. Retrieved on 2007-10-19.
- , Dept. of Econ. Affairs, The W. Midlands: a regional study (1965), 3-4, 84.
- , http://www.communityhealthprofiles.info/profiles/hp2007/lo_res/00GF-HP2007.pdf
- , http://www.communityhealthprofiles.info/profiles/00GF-HP.pdf
- , Neighbourhood Statistics - Telford & Wrekin. Retrieved on 2008-03-10.
- , Neighbourhood Statistics - South Shropshire. Retrieved on 2008-03-10.
- , Telford Development Strategy: 1st Monitoring Rep.-7th Monitoring Rep. (T.D.C. 1978-84); (for no. of jobs on T.D.C. estates in 1978) T.D.C. Employment in Telford 1979 (1980), 20; no. of jobs on T.D.C. estates 1979-82 supplied or confirmed from T.D.C. bd. mtg. agenda 10 Nov. 1983 (management accts. 1983-4, physical projections, p. 12).
- , Private inf.; Thomas, 'Telford', 36-7; Fenter, 'Bldg. Development in Telford'; Reps. of Dev. Corporations 31 Mar. 1969, H.C. 398, pp. 469-70 (1968-9), xliii; 31 Mar. 1983, H.C. 81, p. 317 (1982-3); Town Planning Rev. xliii. 360 n. 52.
- , The Times, 24 Nov. 1983 (p. 22).
- , Reps. of Dev. Corporations 31 Mar. 1983, 309.
- , T.D.C. Telford Ind. Dir. [c. 1979], 28.
- , Shropshire Star, 12 Nov. 1983 (p. 3).
- , Shropshire Star, 24 Oct. 1983 (pp. 1, 6)
- , Shropshire Star, 16 Nov. 1982; 2 Dec. 1983 (p. 16)
- , N. Staffs. Jnl. Field Studies, xiii. 78; Telford Development Strategy: 6th Monitoring Rep. (T.D.C. 1983), 8-12, 22-8; B. Trinder, Hist. Salop. (1983), 121; Shropshire Star, 10 Mar. 1982.
- , Balance is the key to Telford's triumph - Times Online
- , Department for Transport - Better local public transport
- , BBC - Shropshire - Travel - The road ahead
- , M54, The Telford Motorway. The Motorway Archive. Retrieved on 2008-04-18.
[edit] External links
(Source: Wikipedia) |
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