A good number of candidates answered this question.  However, majority of the candidates who answered the question performed poorly as they either used tables for comparison or treated road and rail transport separately thereby leading to loss of valuable marks.  Candidates were expected to differentiate between road and rail transport by using such comparative analysis like:

• Rail transport is not flexible while road transport is flexible.
• Rail lines are more difficult to construct than roads.
• Cargo trains which are used on rail transport can be used to carry bulkier cargos than lorries and trailers which are used on roads.
• Fares are more expensive on roads than on rails.
• The cost of construction and maintenance of rail transport is higher than that of roads.
• Trains are used for rail transport while cars lorries, trailers etc of various types are used for road transport.
• Roads complement all other forms of transport while rail transport does not.
• Rail transport is on a fixed track while road transport has extensive route network.
• Rail transport has more complex operations than road transport.
• Road transport is faster than rail in Tropical Africa.
• Road transport is more prone to accident than rail transport.

Most candidates who answered the question raised correct points on how transportation has contributed to economic development of nations except that most candidates did not use a named country as reference point and so they lost some marks.