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

There is a view that too many individuals have become owners of vehicles in the past three decades causing massive traffic congestion in global cities. I totally agree with this statement. This essay will explore the reasons why this is the case and the measures the government can take to discourage people from driving. Ċ First, it is entirely true that the number of drivers has increased in the world resulting in serious traffic jams. This can be seen in countries like India, China, the USA and even African nations like Nigeria. Many of my Nigerian friends, for example, have to wake up early and leave their homes at 5.am so as to easily navigate the busy roads in Abuja. There has also been an increase in accidents due to the high amount of vehicles. Ċ States worldwide can reduce the pressure on urban roads by investing in other modes of transport such as rail and water. These also have to be cheaper to promote their reception. For instance, Hong Kong people mostly rely on the subsidized mass transit rail to go from one place to another given the congested and overpopulated nature of the city as a whole. Governments, as was done by the British government, can also introduce laws penalising certain driving practices or demanding car owners to pay for driving on certain roads. Ċ In conclusion, therefore, I completely agree with the view that car ownership has increased drastically over the past thirty years in many towns of the world. This trend can be curtailed by introducing other transportation forms and more stringent driving legislation. These issues have been discussed in the essay above.