In virtually every country the number of cars is increasing, although in many the rate of increase has slowed since 1974. Much of this growth must reflect the advantages the car offers its owners. These include greater access to activities and, in some cases, cheaper travel. People who have cars available to them tend to make longer journeys to essential activities, such as work, than do people without cars. They also make more journeys to discretionary activities such as recreation or social events. There is some evidence that once a person obtains the use of a car, he or she uses the opportunity it provides to develop a way of life that depends upon continuing to have a car available. In a similar way, the increasing availability of cars has allowed the development of towns and the locations of activities in ways that would not otherwise have been practicable. Because of the popularity of the car as a means of transport it is necessary to recognise the difficulties of those without cars as well as problems such as accidents and pollution that cars cause. Some groups of people, such as children, will never have the direct use of a car however many cars there are, and many people cannot afford one. The developing pattern of land use and activities that the use of the car has encouraged is often more suitable to those with cars available to them, and can be difficult to serve by public transport. in some countries taxes on car fuel are used to support public transport systems which provide mobility for those without cars. In rural areas which are not suitable for conventional public transport, mobility can be provided by car sharing, lifts and car hire services. It is likely that for elderly and handicapped people the most effective aid to mobility is the motor car, though at present relatively few old or handicapped people do have cars available to them. (Author/publisher)
Samenvatting