Root cause of what problem?
> But fundamentally we should be looking at ways to reduce the number of cars.
Why?
> Parking is a blight in urban areas
Sounds like a poorly designed urban area. Need to make enough parking available for a building. This is a solved problem in private residential apartments and office buildings.
> trains and public transport are massively better people movers
Absolutely not, a car is much better for moving me and my family. We have flexibility of time, space, luggage, comfort, temperature, health, music, speed, privacy, basically everything.
> EVs produce significant pollution from their production and tire wear.
Irrelevant, pollution is always produced. Do you think trains and busses do not produce large amount of pollution?
The biggest problem with public transport is that it is usually paid by taxpayers, who have no say in the operation of said services and no option of voting with their dollars. I would prefer not to pay for shitty trains and busses, thanks. If you like, you can start your own bus service and operate it as you see fit. Don't force me to pay for your little communist ideas and then force me with my own money to pay more for the privilege to use my own car.
Trains and busses are fundamentally less convenient and useful than cars, which is why we have much more cars and why almost everyone (unless otherwise coerced by oppressive government, using taxes on cars, or lack of parking on city streets) prefers to use their own car.