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 measure can governments take to discourage people from using their cars?

Most
people
would agree that
car
ownership has boosted in recent years and is causing a range of problems, particularly in built-up areas. I think there are a number of ways that
governments
can aim to deal with
this
. In my opinion, many big
cities
in the world have traffic problems, but these problems vary.
For instance
, it is reasonably easy to drive around my city after 10 am and before 5 pm.
However
, outside these hours, you have to allow double the usual time to reach your destination. In other
cities
, traffic may be congested at all times and there can be the continual sound of
car
horns as
people
try to get wherever they want to go. On one hand, I think one of the best approaches that
governments
can take in busy
cities
is to encourage the use of public transport.
This
means the transport facilities have to be well run, and
people
must
also
be able to afford them. Buses, trams and trains are good ways of getting around, and if they are cheap and reliable,
people
will use them.
On the other hand
, another approach is to discourage
people
from actually entering the city by building
car
parks and shopping centres on the outskirts. Many
cities
have done
this
quite successfully and even offered the passengers bus transport into the centre. At peak travel periods,
governments
can
also
run campaigns to encourage
people
to be less dependent on their cars. Apparently, a lot of
car
trips involve very short journeys to, say, the supermarket or local school. These are often unnecessary, but we automatically get in our cars without thinking. To sum up, we all have a responsibility to look after our
cities
.
Governments
can do a lot to improve the situation, and part of what they do should involve encouraging individuals to consider alternatives to driving.
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Topic Vocabulary:
  • unprecedented surge
  • congestion
  • peak hours
  • pollution
  • infrastructure
  • exacerbate
  • mitigate
  • affordable public transportation
  • congestion charges
  • densely populated areas
  • alternative modes of transportation
  • promoting cycling
  • healthier lifestyle
  • incentivize
  • electric cars
  • carpooling
  • tax breaks
  • subsidies
  • priority lanes
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