ESSAY INFORMATION:
Written by: Xuân Phi, 12/01/2025
Supported by: Ex-BC Examiner, 13/01/2025
Question: Some people believe governments should spend money on building train and subway lines to reduce traffic congestion. Others think that building more and wider roads is the better way to reduce it. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
(IELTS Academic – 11/01/2025)
ANSWER (8.0+):
It is sometimes asserted that train and subway systems are the solution to traffic congestion, while opponents maintain that upgrading roading infrastructure is a more effective answer. In this essay, I will discuss both sides of the argument and elaborate on the reasons why I lean toward the former opinion.
On the one hand, an upgraded road system can help address traffic jams to some extent. The foremost reason is that road projects can directly increase traffic flow. This is because they can largely eliminate bottlenecks such as busy intersections and narrow roads. In recent years, such projects have been implemented in Hanoi, helping to remove many congested spots in the city. In addition, constructing and widening roads can be accomplished faster. For example, the estimated time to build a ring road for Ho Chi Minh City is five years, whereas it took about 15 years to complete a metro line in the city.
On the other hand, there are several reasons why both trains and underground lines can be a superior solution. Chief among these is their capacity. Trains can carry far more passengers and freight compared to cars, buses and trucks. For instance, an underground train in Tokyo can transport up to 3,000 passengers at a time, contributing to a daily cumulative capacity of 5 million passengers, significantly reducing the number of commuters on congested roads. Furthermore, trains can address congestion more profoundly as they do not interfere with existing road systems. In reality, they usually operate on dedicated railway lines that run underground or on overhead bridges, completely avoiding the worsening of conditions at already jammed spots.
In conclusion, both perspectives have their own merits. However, I believe that subway lines and trains are the more viable solution given their advantage in capacity and the overall transportation experience. Therefore, governments should make long-term investment plans for these systems while using road construction projects as a temporary measure to address traffic issues.
(Word count: 325)
WORD LIST
ENGLISH | TIẾNG VIỆT |
Roading infrastructure | Cơ sở hạ tầng đường bộ |
Directly increase traffic flow | Tăng lưu lượng giao thông trực tiếp |
Eliminate bottlenecks | Loại bỏ các điểm tắc nghẽn |
A ring road | Đường vành đai |
A metro line | Tuyến tàu điện ngầm |
Passengers and freight | Hành khách và hàng hóa |
Daily cumulative capacity | Công suất tích lũy hàng ngày |
Interfere with | Can thiệp vào |
Dedicated railway lines | Các tuyến đường sắt chuyên dụng |
Jammed spots | Các điểm tắc nghẽn |
Long-term investment plans | Kế hoạch đầu tư dài hạn |
Temporary measure | Biện pháp tạm thời |