Traffic congestion is a growing problem in many of the world’s major cities. Explain some possible reasons for this problem, and suggest some solutions.

As cities continue to grow, especially in developing countries, their streets are becoming increasingly congested. While in many cases the situation is so severe that transit often grinds to a halt, there are some measures that can be taken to try to address

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issue. One of the major causes of traffic congestion is simply a lack of space.

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, Cities in developing countries are expanding so rapidly and contain so many people that room for new roads to handle

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new growth is not available. Narrow streets that used to contain mainly bicycles, motorbikes, and just a few cars are now clogged with the latter. Another factor is the growing wealth of city dwellers. Purchasing a car is one – if not the most common – way to show off

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new prosperity. To elaborate, as the number of people who are able to afford a car rises dramatically, cars have begun to swallow the space that used to be able to accommodate many smaller forms of transportation. In order to solve

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problem, there need to be strict financial disincentives for deciding to drive a car. If someone wants to take up so much extra space every day, they should be forced to pay an extra tax that can be used to improve transport infrastructure and develop public transportation. It should be clear that more and better public transportation is the best option. Once a city reaches a certain size, extra roads are not a solution.

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, some people dislike being forced to use public transport, but it must be seen as the price for living in a city and being able to enjoy the opportunities that urban centres provide. Overall, while economic and population growth has led to massive problems with traffic, there are some practical steps that can be taken to improve the situation. More roads are only a temporary solution. What is needed is a huge investment in modern public transport systems and a strong penalty for those who wish to drive their own cars so that traffic can flow and life can be better for everyone.