Few cities have been successful in coping with the rapid growth in the number of road vehicles. Major Third World cities face problems comparable to those of Western cities in relation to traffic congestion. Even with lower rates of car-ownership, the much lower provision for roads in Third World cities, poor road maintenance and poorly functioning traffic-management systems often ensure high levels of congestion. In major cities the economic cost of traffic congestion can amount to billions of dollars per year, and any city with serious congestion is likely to lose new investment to less congested rivals. Congested road coupled with an insufficient public-transport system also mean high costs for low-income households, which comprise the majority of