In a number of countries, some people think it is necessary to spend large sums of money on constructing new railway lines for very fast trains between cities. Others believe the money should be spent on improving existing public transport.

Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Some countries have started spending hefty sums of money on expanding very fast railway systems between their cities whereas others still have their faith in improving the existing public transit. I believe the latter contributes hugely to the environmental pollution and should be replaced by cutting-edge technology of fast trains.

Some developing countries expand their road networks yearly and build more efficient private and public vehicles to carry more people and goods simultaneously. These extensive plans are believed to reduce transition costs of goods which can improve the economy. However, combustion engines are a great contributing factor to carbon emissions worldwide which have done irreparable damage to environment. Unless we stop using the old transport systems and replace them with the new environmentally friendly trains, we will face a dire situation in the near future.

New, fast-speed railway lines, on the other hand, can bring good changes. Primarily, they can improve tourism as they shorten the travel time. Fast-speed trains enable tourists to see more attraction sites in a shorter period as they usually go twice as fast as a normal car. In addition, these trains are fully equipped with electronic navigation and driving systems which have increased the safety compared to the trips people have on roads. These reasons convince me that spending large sums of money on railway lines is a wise choice.

In conclusion, investing on the current transportation systems in cities can lead to a global crisis since it contributes to even greater CO2 emissions. High-end fast trains, having been used by countries such as China and  Malaysia, can replace the old systems to save nature while bringing shorter and safer trips to people. 

Band 8 sample answer by Mahdi Modarres

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