Collocation for IELTS: Transportation

1. to have access to public transport

Meaning: the right or opportunity to use public transportation

Example:    Many    people    who    live   in    rural   areas    have    no    access   to publictransport and have to rely on private cars or taxis.

2. to upgrade and expand public transport provision

Meaning: to improve bus and train services and to make these services more available

Example: One way to reduce traffic on the roads is to upgrade and expand public transport provision.

3. to invest in transport infrastructure

Meaning: to spend money on improving roads, railway lines, train and bus stations

Example: Governments must invest in transport infrastructure to make journeys by road and rail safer.

4. an integrated transport system

Meaning: a system of timetables so that bus and train services are connected and work together successfully

Example: An integrated transport system would make it convenient for people to change buses and trains to complete their journeys without long waiting times.

5. a light rail transit system

Meaning: a system of electric trains, like a metro, running on lines in cities.

Example: Many large cities, such as Hong Kong, have had a light rail transit system for many years.

6. free bus/train passes

Meaning: documents which allow you to travel free on buses or trains

Example: Issuing free bus and train passes to children and the elderly would encourage more people to use public transport.

7. aseason ticket

Meaning: a ticket that you can use many times within a particular period, for example on a regular train or bus journey, and that costs less than paying separately each time

Example: Cheap season tickets would encourage commuters to use buses or trains regularly.

8. dedicated bus lanes/cycle lanes

Meaning: a section of a road, indicated by white lanes that only buses or cycles are allowed to use.

Example: City authorities should create dedicated bus lanes and cycle lanes to encourage people to take public transport or to cycle in cities. Dịch đại ý

9. to speed up journey times

Meaning: to reduce the amount of time spent travelling

Example: The creation of dedicated bus lanes would speed up journey times and encourage more people to use bus services.

10. rush hour traffic jams

Meaning: the time when most people are travelling to or from work/school and so there is too much traffic on the roads.

Example: If factories and offices introduced flexible working hours, this would help employees to avoid rush hour traffic jams to get to or from their place of work.

11. park and ride

Meaning: a system designed to reduce traffic in towns, in which people park their cars on the edge of a town and then take a special bus or train to the town centre

Example: A park and ride scheme would be very effective in reducing the number of cars in city centres.

12. to subsidize the cost of fares

Meaning: to give money to a business or organization to help to pay for the cost of using public transport

Example: Governments must subsidize the cost of fares on public transport.

13. to ease traffic flow

Meaning: to enable traffic to move more easily

Example: The introduction of bus and cycle lanes would help to ease traffic flow in city centres.

14. commuting times

Meaning: the time taken travelling to and from work

Example:    Firms   should    introduce    flexible    working    hours    to    cut    the commuting times of employees.

15. off-peak travel

Meaning: travel at times when fewer people are using public transport

Example: Cheap fares should be introduced for off-peak travel.

16. to grind to a halt

Meaning: to go slower and then stop completely

Example: In my city, Paris, traffic regularly grinds to a halt during the rush hour.

17. congestion charge

Meaning: an amount of money that people have to pay for driving their cars into the centre of some cities, as a way of stopping the city centre from becoming too full of traffic

Example: More cities should follow the example of London and introduce a congestion charge in order to ease traffic flow in the city centre.

18. a traffic warden

Meaning: a person whose job is to check that people do not park their cars in the wrong place or for longer than is allowed

Example: More traffic wardens should be appointed to ensure that cars are parked only in permitted areas.

19. road safety measures

Meaning: actions to ensure that the roads are made safer

Example: The number of deaths on the roads would be reduced if the authorities introduced stricter road safety measures.

20. to conduct regular vehicle inspections

Meaning: to inspect all cars, buses and trucks at regular intervals to check that they are in good condition and safe to drive

Example: Every town and city should have centres which conduct regular vehicle inspections.

21. to install speed cameras

Meaning: to put cameras on certain roads to check that cars are obeying the speed limits.

Example: Local authorities must instal speed cameras near all schools and hospitals to limit the speed at which vehicles are allowed to travel.

22. traffic calming

Meaning: building raised areas on roads, as a way of making cars go more slowly

Example: Traffic calming meaures in towns and cities would make the roads safer for pedestrians and cyclists.

23. driving while intoxicated

Meaning: the crime of driving a vehicle after drinking too much alcohol

Example: Driving while intoxicated is a serious crime, and those who drive while under the influence of drink must be severely punished.

24. to raise petrol prices

Meaning: to increase the price which people pay for petrol

Example: Raising petrol prices would not be an effective method of reducing the amount of traffic on the roads.

25. to be punctual

Meaning: to arrive at the correct time

Example: In order to attract more people to use public transport, it is essential that it is clean, reliable, safe and punctual.

26. freight services

Meaning: the system of transporting goods

Example: Railways must provide more freight services in order to reduce the number of trucks on the roads.

27. a tachograph

Meaning: a device used to measure the speed of trucks and to record the times when a driver has stopped to rest

Example: In the interests of road safety, tachographs should be installed in all trucks to ensure that long-distance drivers are taking regular rest periods.

28. roll-on roll-off ferries

Meaning: ships designed so that you can simply drive a car on and off the ship

Example: Many motorists use roll-on roll-off ferries to take their cars overseas.

29. economy airlines/budget airlines

Meaning: companies which offer cheap flights

Example: Budget airlines have made it affordable for people to go on holiday or to visit relatives in other countries.

30. online booking

Meaning: the action of buying a ticket on the internet in order to travel somewhere

Example: Long-distance bus and train services are now more convenient to use, as a result of their online booking facilities which enable travellers to reserve and pay for their tickets from home or from work.