Traffic congestion problems and solutions IELTS

Traffic jams bring a lot of problems to our life. How do you think individuals can solve it?

Here is a band 7 IELTS essay on this topic written by one of our students. Need help with IELTS writing? Get your IELTS essays, letters and reports corrected by me.

Band 7 IELTS essay sample

Traffic congestion has become a common trouble almost every city has to confront with. Overpopulation is the main cause of this disturbing phenomenon and it brings inconvenience to citizens’ life. In order to solve this problem, every citizen should make a sincere effort.

Traffic jams are caused when there are too many vehicles on the road at the same time. The most effective way to reduce traffic on roads is to promote public transport. If more people commute to their work using buses or trains, there will be an obvious reduction in the number of private cars on the road. Buses and train can transport a lot more people than cars and this will prevent traffic jams to a greater extent. Of course, this might inconvenience commuters but people need to realize that they are doing this for the greater good.

Another measure that citizens can take is carpooling. They can take turns driving one another to work. With fewer commuters traveling alone, there will be fewer vehicles on road and the road system can be used more efficiently, especially in peak hours. People also need to avoid unnecessary traveling. These days, it is possible to pay utility bills and taxes online and there is no need for people to travel to these offices to pay their dues. In addition, those who jobs that can be done at home should check with their employer to see if they can telecommute.

In conclusion, there are lots of things that regular people can do reduce traffic jams. The most important ones are to limit the use of their private cars and avoid unnecessary traveling.

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A student asked me about the following topic, whether I think it is a situation essay or an argument one.

“The first car appeared on Britain’s road in 1888. By the year 2000 there may be as many as 29 million vehicles on British roads. Alternative forms of transport should be encouraged and international laws introduced to control car ownership and use. What are your views?”

I think this is a situation essay because it is talking about a problem and is looking at a possible solution.

Essay plan

Introduction paragraph

Here you should explain what is the problem, what is it’s reason and it’s consequences. The problem is traffic congestion and a higher number of traffic accidents, the roads are jammed and the environment suffers from increasing amounts of pollution.

First body paragraph – an explanation of the reasons for this situation

The reason is people are accustomed to using their own cars and that population growth combined with higher living standards means that more and more people own cars.

Second body paragraph – a possible solution (alternative transport)

Explain what forms of public transport should be developed more and why the state they are now is not sufficient to convince people use the public transport. How exactly can government develop the public transport and how can it encourage people use it.

Third body paragraph – another possible solution (laws to control cars ownership)

Write about what kind of laws can be introduced world wide to limit the number of cars per family / per company. Write whether or not you think it will work and why.

Conclusion paragraph

Summarize what was said before, do not add new information.

As cities continue to grow, especially in developing countries, their streets are becoming increasingly congested. While in many cases the situation is so severe that traffic often grinds to a halt, there are some measures that can be taken to try to address this issue.

One of the major causes of traffic congestion is simply a lack of space. Cities in developing countries are expanding so rapidly and contain so many people that room for new roads to handle this new growth is not available. Narrow streets that used to contain mainly bicycles, motorbikes, and just a few cars are now clogged with the latter.

Another factor is the growing wealth of city dwellers. Purchasing a car is one – if not the most common – way to show off this new prosperity. As the number of people who are able to afford a car rises dramatically, cars have begun to swallow the space that used to be able to accommodate many more smaller forms of transportation.

In order to solve this problem, there needs to be strict financial disincentives for deciding to drive a car. If someone wants to take up so much extra space every day, they should be forced to pay an extra tax that can be used to improve transport infrastructure and develop public transportation.

It should be clear that more and better public transportation is the best option. Once a city reaches a certain size, extra roads are not a solution. Admittedly, some people dislike being forced to use public transport, but it must be seen as the price for living in a city and being able to enjoy the opportunities that urban centres provide.

Overall, while economic and population growth have led to massive problems with traffic, there are some practical steps that can be taken to improve the situation. More roads is only a temporary solution. What is needed is a huge investment in modern public transport systems and a strong penalty for those who wish to drive their own cars so that traffic can flow and life can be better for everyone. (349 words)

COMMENTS –

Make sure you answer the WHOLE question. First you must explain the situation/problem, then offer some solutions. Try to aim for two causes/reasons for the problem, then offer to related solutions.
Try to use some synonyms for the words “problem” and “solution”. In this example, “issue”, “measures” and “steps” have been used.
Try to think of some synonyms for the keywords in this topic. If you can’t, try to change the structure. In this example, “congestion” has been changed to “congested”.
Try to include some topic-specific vocabulary. In this example, the topic is “traffic/transport”, so words and phrases like “transport infrastructure” and “forms of transportation” have been used.
Try to include some general academic vocabulary. In this example, terms such as “financial disincentives” and “urban centres” (instead of “cities”) have been used.
Make sure to introduce each paragraph with a clear linking word or phrase. In this example, the phrases “One of the major causes of…”, “Another factor is…”, “In order to solve this problem…”, and “…is the best option” have been used.
The conclusion should admit there is a problem, then state that it can be solved. You can also mention how things would be better if the problem was dealt with!

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You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Traffic congestion is a growing problem in many of the world’s major cities.

Explain some possible reasons for this problem, and suggest some solutions.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Write at least 250 words.

Model Answer:

The growing traffic jam brings many metropolitan areas around the world to a standstill during peak hours each day. This essay will first explain how the intensive use of automobiles and inadequate public transport are the root causes of this issue, followed by a discussion of how improved public transport systems and better road designs are the most viable solutions.

One compelling reason for traffic congestion in major cities is the widespread use of automobiles. In simple words, traffic congestion is primarily due to the huge number of vehicles, whose ownership has spread massively because of economic development. Many studies support this notion since during peak hours each occupant of a private car brings about 10 times as much congestion as a passenger on a bus. The condition is further aggravated by issues of road design and poor maintenance in the urban areas, a manner of driving that treats other road users with little respect, erroneous information on traffic jams, and inefficient management by the responsible authorities.

The most effective remedy to this problem is to alleviate the condition through steps affecting the supply of public transport such as the quality and availability of the transport infrastructure, vehicles, and their management. This is because it increases the capacity for commuting. Besides, there are several faults in the present city road systems which require to be put right: it is essential to better the design of intersections, mark streets properly as well as equip them with appropriate signs, and correct the operating rotations of traffic lights, for instance.

To conclude, many cities across the globe are struggling with the increasing problem of traffic congestion due to the growing number of private cars combined with faulty road designs and maintenance. However, if governments ensure quality public transports and develop current road systems, the problem can be ameliorated.