Some people believe that public transport should be free for everyone, paid for by the government through taxation. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

9.0 / 9
✍️ Want to check your own essay?Write on this topic →
Introduction
In many cities, the cost of a bus or tram ticket decides whether people can reach work, school or a hospital at all.
While
Linking Words
I accept that free travel would place a heavy burden on public budgets, I largely agree with
this
Linking Words
proposal, because it would ease congestion, clean the air and open urban life to those who need it most.
Body paragraph 1
Admittedly, the objections are not without merit. The most obvious is cost, since running a network of buses and trains is expensive, and removing fares means that every citizen pays through taxation whether they use the service or not. In Casablanca,
for instance
Linking Words
, the tramway recovers a large part of its running costs from tickets, and without them the council would need to find the money
elsewhere
Linking Words
. Closely linked to
this
Linking Words
is the risk of overcrowding, because a service that costs nothing attracts passengers who might
otherwise
Linking Words
walk short distances, and,
consequently
Linking Words
, the carriages become too full for those who truly depend on them.
Body paragraph 2
Nevertheless
Linking Words
, the benefits of free travel outweigh these difficulties. The most important is the effect on traffic, since every driver who switches to the bus removes a car from the road, and fewer cars mean cleaner air, quieter streets and far fewer accidents. Tallinn, the capital of Estonia,
for example
Linking Words
, saw private car use fall noticeably within a few years of abolishing fares.
Moreover
Linking Words
, fare-free travel helps precisely the people who have the least. A student from a poor family in Rabat can attend university across the city, and an elderly woman can visit a clinic, without worrying whether the fare will leave enough for food. The money a government spends,
therefore
Linking Words
, returns to society as better health and a stronger economy.
Conclusion
In conclusion, abolishing fares is costly and may crowd the network, yet it reduces traffic, cuts pollution and gives the poorest citizens real freedom of movement. On balance, it is an investment that every large city should make.

Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site's author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Writing9 with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

task response
You answer the full question and keep the same clear view from the first paragraph to the end.
task response
You give clear reasons on both sides, then explain why the good points are more important.
task response
The examples of traffic, air, students, older people, and health make your ideas real and easy to understand.
coherence and cohesion
Your opening tells the reader what you will argue, and your ending gives a direct final view.
coherence and cohesion
The paragraph order is logical, and every paragraph stays on one clear main idea.
coherence and cohesion
Your linking words guide the reader well, and the essay moves smoothly from one point to the next.
What to do next:
Look at other essays: