Increasing the price of petrol is the best way to solve growing traffic and pollution problems.
To what extent do you agree or disagree? Write at least 300 words
It is sometimes believed that traffic congestion and environmental pollution can be
addressed most effectively by raising the price of gasoline. Personally, while I do see the
logic behind this suggestion, other approaches such as upgrading the public transport
system would be a better solution.
On the one hand, there exist valid arguments as to why some people might support the
increase of petrol prices in order to solve traffic and pollution issues. Chief among these is
that this policy might reduce the number of cars on the road. More specifically, once the
price of petrol is raised, it would not be a wild assumption that people would think twice
about using their private petrol-run transport and would only use them in case of emergency.
Consequently, such hesitation could lead to fewer cars being used daily, reducing traffic
jams, and given that fume exhaustion from cars are one of the main causes of air pollution,
such cutdown in the use of cars can positively impact the environment as well. Furthermore,
higher petrol costs may encourage people to turn to more environmentally friendly options
such as using public transports and carpooling, thereby minimizing their impacts on the
environment. Evidence of this can be seen in Norway where fuel is heavily taxed and thus
public transport is prioritized by citizens. This policy has contributed to Norway having one of
the best air quality in the world and though traffic congestion still exists, it is considered far
less severe than other countries such as Brazil.
On the other hand, I would argue that a rise in the cost of petrol is not the best solution and
improving the public transportation system might be a more effective approach. The main
argument for this is the lack of alternatives. While petrol cars are among the most popular
means of transport, other options such as electric cars and public transports either still have
its limitations or are underdeveloped in many areas, making them hard to replace the role of
gas-run cars. Therefore, it is possible that many people still have to resort to driving privately
regardless of the fuel costs as cars may be the most convenient means of transport they
have at hand. In this case, not only does raising the petrol costs not solve the traffic
congestion and pollution effectively but also lay further financial burden on citizens. Instead,
the government should invest in bettering the public transport systems, making them more
accessible, convenient and affordable for people to use. By doing this, the government
would be helping to gradually change people’s habits and perceptions instead of simply
pressuring them to drive less. Eventually, when using public transport becomes more
common, it can reduce the use of private vehicles, alleviating the traffic issues and
environmental problems.
In conclusion, while a raise in the cost of fuel can cause the number of cars to reduce and
encourage people to opt for eco-friendly choices, it is not the most effective way to tackle the
ongoing traffic and pollution issues due to the lack of replacement for cars. Other
approaches such as improving the public transport systems would be a better idea.