Band 5+: In some countries, the government has tried to reduce traffic. For instance, they imposed a congestion tax during rush hour. Do you think this development is positive or negative?

Government in many countries has tried to lessen the amount of traffic by imposing higher taxes on car owners. In my opinion, this step is a very good initiative as it will lead to numerous benefits including lower environmental pollution, promotion of public transport, health enhancement of people, and preserving fuel for the future.

The immediate impact of imposition of higher taxes on car owners will lead to fewer people being able to afford the cost of fuel in transportation.The first and foremost effect will be the reduction in the environmental pollution. For instance, Karachi and Lahore, the two cities of Pakistan, are considered to have very high amount of pollutants in the air. The biggest contributors to this situation are the harmful gases emitted by the engines of fuel-powerd cars. Hence, when lesser cars will be present on the roads, the air will be much cleaner and better to breathe in. Furthermore, this will in turn aid in improving the well-being of the individuals. For exampple, as an anecdote, I visited Dubai last year when I was suffering from sever headaches due to recurrent exposure to smoke because of everyday commuting. Within two days of living in the changed environment, I found myself relieved and feeling better. With the reduction of cars on roads, the health and well-being of humans will definitely enhance.

Moreover, this measure will result in promotion of public transportation services. It will help boosting the economy as more people will be opting to travel via public buses, taxis etc. As an example, red bus service in Karachi is a public bus service network by government, which can flourish through the imposition of high taxes on car-owners. Moving on, the use of fossil fuels such as oil and gas by car-owners will reduce. Consequently, more of these finite resources will be preserved for future.

In conclusion, the introduction of high taxes on car owners is a worthwhile decision will result in lower environmental pollution, better health of people, benefit to the public sector transportation, and saving reneweable energy sources for future use.