There are several countries where governments have attempted to alleviate traffic by significant congestion charges during rush hour. Although it might slightly improve the situation, I firmly believe that it can have a detrimental effect on people’s financial conditions.
On the one hand, congestion charges during rush hour may solve traffic problems to some extent. This is mainly because extra payments can discourage people from using vehicles. As a result, roads will not be overloaded with transport, leading to more comfortable conditions outside, as well as reducing air pollution because of a smaller number of cars. Moreover, reducing the number vehicles running outside can enhance safety of pedestrians, since a myriad of cars might be dangerous for people crossing the road. Thus, extra charges during rush hour have positive effects by alleviating the number of cars.
On the other hand, introducing congestion charges has some disadvantages. The main drawback to this trend is that it causes financial pressure on individuals. Paying extra fees may not be affordable for every person, especially for those who have to work exactly during such periods. As an example, people going to work in the evening may find it extremely difficult and unfavourable to pay money on a daily basis, which leads to financial problems for them. Therefore, congestion charges may have a negative effect on people.
In conclusion, I tend to think that the disadvantage outweighs the advantage of imposing congestion charges. The main reason is that it can cause issues for people related to money, albeit it might improve the outside conditions by reducing traffic and transport.
