TASK 2

Government is spending money on improving roads and highways. However, NGO's

propose that government should improve public transportation such as buses, trains
and subways instead of concreting roads. Which do you prefer more?

Some governments are allocating their budget on improving public roads and highways. NGO’s
on the other hand, argue that governments should instead focus on providing a more reliable
public transport system. I would tend to agree on the latter.

It is a common belief that mass public transport is more e ective in moving people. Highways and
public roads will only lead to the general public to buy more cars. Oftentimes, a car only has one
passenger on board. On the other hand, buses and trains can carry up to a few hundred people. If
people are being transported e ciently, then there will de nitely be less tra c on the road.

In addition, it can be argued that public transportation is actually environment friendly. Buses,
trains, as well as cars all have carbon emissions. However, if the general public is subscribing to
these mass transportation systems, then it will de nitely lead to less cars on the road. To illustrate,
cities like Singapore, have a relatively low air pollution index compared to cities like Manila and
Bangkok. This is turn creates a more liveable environment.

Furthermore, it is actually more economical for the general populous if governments provide
reliable mass transit systems. The cost of riding a bus or train is only a fraction compared to
owning a car. There are a lot of expenses associated in car ownership. There is the price of buying
the car itself, which is quite expensive nowadays, then you need to spend more to petrol and
regular maintenance. All of these costs can be reallocated to other important needs like food and
education, or perhaps it can be used for recreation activities like traveling.

In summary, governments should focus more on providing reliable public transportation. It is not
only more e cient in moving people from one place to another, but is also more environment
friendly, and will cause the public to spend less.

Word count: 316

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