IELTS essay sample | Why is cycling becoming less popular?

Essay topic

Cycling has many benefits, yet in some countries there is a decrease in the number of people using bicycles as their main form of transportation. Why is it happening? Give suggestions how to encourage people to use bicycles again.

Sample essay

Cycling has several health benefits. It is also an environment friendly means of transport. Even so, cycling is becoming less and less popular. There are several reasons for this.

First, there are no dedicated lanes for cyclists in most towns and cities. Cycling on a busy road is a dangerous activity. Even bikes are not safe in cities. When our cities and towns are not cycle-friendly, we cannot blame people for not using cycles. If there are dedicated lanes for cyclists, I am sure a lot of people living in urban areas will switch to this mode of traveling. It should be noted that cycling is still very popular in countries like China where the right infrastructure exists.

Second, cycling is not suitable for long distance travel. Unlike driving, cycling is a strenuous activity. Cycles can only be used for traveling short distances. This is another factor that worked against cycles.

Third, cycling is not considered as ‘cool’. A cycle serves more or less the same purpose as a motorbike. It is much cheaper and doesn’t require any fuel. Still, people ditch their bicycles and buy bikes if they can afford them. The fact that a cycle is an inexpensive vehicle makes it less fashionable or attractive. This might sound strange but it is true.

To conclude, several factors have contributed to the waning popularity of cycling. Cycling is healthy but it is not exactly safe especially in cities where the traffic is heavy. If the government wants to promote cycling, the first thing it needs to do is to create separate lanes for cyclists.

Manjusha Nambiar

Hi, I'm Manjusha. This is my blog where I give IELTS preparation tips.

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