More and more people use private cars instead of taking public transport. What are the reasons for this trend? How can the government encourage people to take public transport?

Someone has rightly said - "The

car

has become an article of dress without which we feel uncertain, unclad, and incomplete". It is irrefutable that many individuals are using their own

cars

instead

of travelling by buses and trains. In

this

essay, I shall discuss the reasons for

this

phenomenon and

also

suggest ways by which the government can motivate

people

to

use

public

transport

. There are many reasons for the increasing popularity of

cars

.

Firstly

, the

car

is the most convenient mode of

transport

. It takes a person from destination to destination and one does not have to waste time waiting for public

transport

, which is time-bound.

Secondly

, families can go out together and enjoy their outings more. What is more, one can halt anywhere one needs some refreshments. The

car

is

also

a blessing in times of emergencies when a sick family member has to be rushed to the hospital.

Finally

, because of the increased competition among automobile companies,

cars

have become affordable for the vast majority of

people

.

For example

, the basic models of the Maruti 800 and the Nano by Tata Company are called the poor man's

cars

. Many steps can be taken by the government to motivate

people

to

use

public

transport

.

Firstly

, the comfort of public

transport

could be made better.

Secondly

, the fares could be reduced and the frequency of public

transport

increased.

In addition

,

people

should be made aware of the problems,

such

as traffic congestion and pollution, caused by the increasing number of

cars

. Another way to stimulate public

transport

use

is to make private

car

use

more expensive and inconvenient. The introduction of tolls along urban motorways has been successfully employed in many cities. Other

such

measures

such

as high parking rates in urban areas could

also

help a lot. Faced with high costs or no place to park,

people

would perhaps be more willing to abandon their

cars

in favour of buses or trains. The construction of metro rail networks has

also

resulted in taking a substantial number of

cars

off the roads.

To conclude

, it can be said that there is no doubt that the private vehicle is gaining a lot of popularity, but if the government takes some steps to encourage public

transport

then

definitely the

use

of

cars

can be reduced substantially.