Government Should Increase Tax On Petrol To Reduce Traffic And Pollution | Band 8 IELTS Essay Sample
Some people think that to reduce traffic and pollution, the government should increase tax on petrol. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?
Here is a band 8 IELTS essay on this topic. It is an edited version of an essay sent by one of our students. Improve your IELTS writing score with our expert guidance and get your writing samples corrected for a fee.
Band 8 IELTS essay sample
It is thought by some people that the amount of traffic and pollution can be decreased by having the government impose higher tax on petrol. However, I believe that the advantages of using this approach are meager compared to the disadvantages. The long term goal of tackling traffic and pollution can be achieved only by reducing the need to use private transport.
A quick solution to limit the problem of traffic and pollution is believed to be a rise in tax on petrol. This method creates a financial burden on the users of vehicles forcing them to reduce the usage of petrol. Consequently, it results in a significant drop in the traffic on roads thereby lowering the pollution levels. However, this method has a number of repercussions and it cannot be used for a longer duration.
An increase in the tax on petrol has numerous drawbacks even though it is a quick way to lower the pollution. Initially, people may prefer to reduce the use of vehicles but later on, they adjust their finances to accommodate the rise in tax. The end result will be the same amount of traffic along with a financial burden on citizens. Another disadvantage would be an unhealthy relationship between the government and citizens. Additionally, the standard of living is also affected as people have to compromise on other commodities to save money for fuel.
On the flip side, there are better ways to reduce traffic and pollution. One of them is to create awareness. The other is to improve the reliability of public transport. If people can take buses and trains and still reach their office on time, they are less likely to drive their own vehicles to work.
To conclude, the disadvantages related to a rise in the tax on petrol outweigh the advantages. Instead of forcibly trying to curb the traffic, the government can use alternatives like creating awareness among the people about the ill-effects of pollution. Secondly, people can be provided other means of transport by enhancing the frequency and reliability of public transport. Lastly, the government can provide incentives for reducing the usage of vehicles.
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