It has long been a subject of discussion that many cities around the world are introducing a ‘no-car-sundays’ where private vehicles are prohibited from city centres once a week. The main reason why this policy is being introduced is that it will help ease the traffic congestion. From my perspective, I strongly believe that this is not an effective solution to urban traffic and pollution problems because it is a short term remedy.
There are various multifaceted reasons why this policy is being taken on. Chief among them is that it will help to reduce traffic jam. When a significant number of vehicles are banned from entering the central business districts, it will lead to a reduction of the traffic jam. For example, Nairobi City has recorded a fewer number of cars since the introduction of ‘no-matatu-in-CBD’ policy in 2018. Additionally, it will encourage the use of public transportation. This is because many people will opt to use public transport which will be their only means to get to the city centre. To best illustrate this, a recent survey in Cambridge has shown an increased confidence in public transport after the new guidelines on traffic was announced.
In my view, I believe that this policy is not an effective answer to urban traffic and pollution issues. One reason is that the solution is only for a single day, urban traffic and pollution are problems of every day, and cannot be solved effectively by a one-day policy. Eldoret town has In addition, it overlooks human traffic. Even when cars are excluded from entering the city, multitude of people will do so using other available options. For example, Eldoret town is home to many people that come to shop in supermarkets.
In conclusion, although the ‘no-car-Sunday’ is a brilliant idea because it encourages individuals to develop confidence in public transportation, I believe that it is not an effective way of solving these problems because they exclude the impact of human traffic.