In cities and towns all over the world the high volume of traffic is a problem. What are the causes of this and what actions can be taken to solve this problem?

It is undoubtedly the case that urban areas around the world increasingly suffer from traffic congestion. There are several reasons for this problem, and various measures could be taken by governments and individuals to improve the situation. There are two main factors that have led to the rise in traffic in towns and cities. One of the major causes is that the ownership of cars have been increasing in many societies, which means the vehicles become more affordable for the average people and they are no longer a luxury item, but something that most families expect to own. The second reason is that public transport has become increasingly unreliable and uncomfortable because many bus and train services are often delayed and not frequent. As a result, there has been a rise in the use of private cars, leading to the high volume of traffic, especially in rush hours. There are several actions that governments could take to solve the problems described above. Firstly, a simple solution would be to improve the reliability of public transport to encourage people to take the bus or the train rather than driving their own car. The second measure would be for governments to discourage people from driving to work by imposing special tariffs on using the roads, especially during peak periods. A successful example of this is the congestion fee in London which has certainly reduced the level of traffic in the city centre. In conclusion, despite some obvious reasons, various measures can be taken to tackle the problem of rising levels of traffic in urban areas. While it may not be possible to find a complete solution, any action should probably involve encouraging greater use of public transport and making it more expensive for people to drive in urban areas.