Some people believe government 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 traffic congestion. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Traffic congestion is the bane of motorists’ lives, whether it is the daily bottleneck during the commute to work or the slow-moving lines when taking the kids to school. While there have been many calls for increased and improved railway and subway services so as to mitigate the problem, some argue that the construction of larger roads is a better alternative in the long term. Great train and subway systems are generally seen as effective in alleviating traffic congestion. Obviously, these modes of public transportation are capable of moving large numbers of people as well as meeting the needs of the majority of passengers. Two other advantages of trains are punctuality and safety. Trains are usually on time, regardless of the traffic level. In some cases, however, missing one train or one stop would probably cause some inconvenience for commuters. Trains and subways are also generally safer than cars. On the other hand, some traffic planners rely more on road widening to ease congestion. They point out that with an increase in road size, traffic jams could possibly be reduced. In the long run, however, the wider the road, the more drivers it attracts; therefore, cars would soon fill the road and traffic would grind to a halt again. In conclusion, effective and lasting solutions to the problem of traffic congestion will perhaps involve both improved train and subway services as well as wider roads. Be that as it may, if at least one of these measures is a success, traffic will be eased.