Government should spend money on railways rather than roads. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement.

Some believe that an authority should build more railroads rather than highways and roads. To a certain point, I would agree with the statement, but I

also

believe that the decision of building railways or roads should be decided based on the natural condition of the area and the preference of citizens. On the one hand, it is understandable if some people think that a government should expand more railroads rather than roads and streets.

Firstly

, it is obvious that when a country has extensive rail networks, it will positively affect the logistic cost. The selling price of many goods would be cheaper since a single locomotive could carry tonnes of crops, goods or liquor.

Secondly

, by building integrated subway stations in city areas, traffic congestion could be avoided.

For example

, as Singapore has a very good train network, called MRT, most of the people rarely drive on their own vehicles.

As a result

, Singapore is free from traffic congestion and air pollution.

On the other hand

, it is

also

important for a state to have some feasibility study regarding the geological condition of an area before they plan to improve railroads. It is a fact that some areas might not be feasible for railways, as those areas might be swamped or have rocky mountains. Should the politics build railway networks, the investment cost might be unreasonable.

For instance

, the island of Borneo in Indonesia is one of the largest islands in the world, but most of the areas are swamps. It is not suitable for railroads, but as the island has wide and long rivers

such

as the Mahakam and Kapuas, the government could focus more on building water transportation there. The preference of citizens should

also

be considered before investing in the construction of railroads or highways. In conclusion, to a certain extent, I would agree that governments should build more railroads than roads and highways. But I do believe that governments should

also

make considerable measurement before they spend money on railways. They must ensure that their areas are suitable for rail network and people prefer that transportation system.