IELTS essay sample: Some people believe that governments should invest in trains to solve traffic problems

IELTS essay topic

Sample essay

Trains are a faster and greener mode of transport. A single train can carry many thousands of people. Therefore, the argument that the government should invest in trains to reduce the traffic congestion certainly holds water. In my opinion, the government should also build wider roads.

Railways are not necessarily an alternative to roadways. They are both important modes of transport used by millions of people every day. Railways complement roadways and vice versa. Because of this reason, the government needs to invest in both.

Generally speaking, people do not normally use trains for traveling short distances. For example, very few people will board a train to go to the supermarket or the library in their town. They are more likely to take a bus or a car. If the roads aren’t wide, they will get stuck in the traffic.

People don’t always live or work within walking distance of the railway station. Also, trains don’t reach every part of a city. By contrast, roads connect almost all areas. In Mumbai, for example, people use both trains and buses/cars every day. They use the bus service to reach the railway station. They need both wider roads and more reliable trains to commute faster. Ideally, a city should have both – a well-developed rail network and wider roads.

To conclude,  we need to build both wider roads and a better rail network to solve the traffic woes of a city,  Roads can’t always be a substitute for trains. Likewise, trains can’t be a substitute for cars or buses.