Private transport: good or evil?

By David Reece

We all want to own a car, and indeed most households have at least one car. Households with two and three cars are becoming increasingly common. We all want to be able to get to our destinations quickly. Unfortunately the two things don't really go together. This is because the more cars there are on the roads, the slower the traffic flows. This doesn't stop us wanting cars. People want to be free to go where they like when they like.

No one wants to think they damage the environment, but we must consider the environmental impact of what we do. Cars are dirty – and almost everyone accepts this. They pollute the air. They need new roads and they need lots of oil and petrol. They're also noisy and they kill people. So, are cars good or evil? They offer us a lot. They let us move around. They let us travel, and they let us get to work. They also offer us many disadvantages. They pollute our towns, and kill our children. They make people lazy – no-one walks to the corner shop any more! The car is here to stay – but we need to learn to use it more wisely and safely. There are occasions when public transport makes more sense.