Car ownership has increased so rapidly over the past thirty years that many cities in the world are now 'one big traffic jam'. How true do you think this statement is? What measures can governments take to discourage people from using their cars?

It is true that the number of people having a

car

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has increased exponentially in the

last

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thirty years. While I completely agree with the view

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opinion

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argument that most metro cities have become ‘one big traffic jam’, there are many steps which governments can take to tackle

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problem

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. Traffic congestion is the most pressing issue that many cities across the world face today. Over the

last

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few decades, the rate of

car

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ownership has accelerated significantly, and if not controlled, it is likely to rise

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. Admittedly, governments across the world have tried to resolve

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fix

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problem

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by widening existing roads;

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, they have not been able to match the pace of increasing

car

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ownership.

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, the

problem

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of congestion has escalated to

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a level that in big cities, it affects not only business activities but

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the physical and mental well-being of residents. Businesses incur losses because of the delay in moving their goods and manpower. Urban residents

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suffer because of the constant noise and air pollution caused by frequent traffic jams. There are many measures that governments can initiate to contain

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issue of increasing the number of cars on roads.

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of all, governments can increase the financial burden of owning a

car

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by imposing a green tax on the sale of new cars and fuel. They are likely to face resistance from voters;

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, they can certainly gather public support by running awareness campaigns.

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, they can invest more in public transport. If people find that travelling by bus or commuter train can save their money and time, they will certainly prefer them to private vehicles. In conclusion,

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most cities struggle with the issue of traffic congestion, authorities can alleviate

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situation

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problem

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by imposing a carbon tax on private vehicles and improving public transport infrastructure.