IELTS Essay Question:

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?

In the past decades, it is noticeable that automobile ownership dramatically climbed in most urban areas across all countries. Some busy metropolitan these days are experiencing heavy traffic congestion which I believe caused by continued growth of vehicle demand. This essay will first identify if the steady increase of car ownership is one of the contributing factors behind traffic bottlenecks in cities and explore how governments can encourage people to reduce private car usage. 

On the one hand, automobile ownership is picking up significantly in last few decades especially in emerging countries. Many people from these developing nations desire to acquire their first car. However, this contributed largely to the worsening traffic conditions within cities. First, some urban areas has poor public transport system which cause many inconveniences for commuters. Second, many people are now experiencing rise of disposable income and some of them prefer to spend it to enjoy life. Therefore, the increasing use of cars will have a negative effect to  the traffic circulation in most cities. 

On the other hand, governments are capable enough to shift away citizen’s interest of using their private cars as personal means of transportation. Pouring more investments in public transport system is one great example that can entice people to commute. Investing in an efficient railway system could lead to less traffic congestion and increase travel conveniences for the riding public. Moreover, governments can educate their people about the negative impact of pollution emitted from cars. By turning mass transit into an attractive alternative, travel comfort will improve and many individuals will patronize the service.

In conclusion, the rapid growth of many developing countries has clearly contributed to the increase of car ownership which in turn caused heavy traffic in more cities. States should develop better alternative to  encourage more people to use voluntarily to public transportations. 

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