An increasing number of people have been commuting by their personal vehicles in recent years, leading to heavy traffic congestion and air pollution as well. Some people think that public transport needs to be free to cut down the concerns in some urban areas.
On the one hand, there are several advantages for governments banning the fees on public transport. One of the most relevant is the reduced air pollution. It is true that people using their private cars which are gas guzzling emit a huge amount of carbon dioxide and carbon emission into the air, leading to the air pollution significantly. If public transport will be free, a majority of people will prefer to choose these kinds of transports. In this case, the amount of carbon emission can be mitigated.
On the other hand, although utilizing free public transport is an advantage for citizens, there are several drawbacks to consider. Firstly, without the cost of public transport, more people may use it, potentially leading to overcrowded buses and trains. Secondly, free public transport requires funding from alternative sources, such as taxes, which can place a financial burden on local or national governments. Instead of this, governments should invest more money in other essential factors such as education and healthcare.
In conclusion, while free public transport is beneficial to reduce the amount of air pollution, it can cause more traffic congestion and economic problems in some countries’ governments. In this case, it is unnecessary to have free public transport in the metropolitan areas.