GCSE English Language: Paper 2, Question 5

‘Cars are convenient, comfortable and save time. However, we need to use them less by making public transport such as trains, trams and buses cheaper, more reliable and easier to access.’ Write a speech to be given at a meeting of your local council in which you argue your point of view on this statement. (24 marks for content and organisation 16 marks for technical accuracy) [40 marks]

Picture this, you no longer have to battle against the traffic jams, honking your horns and waste hours and hours and hours trapped in your car. Now picture this: a town where transport is affordable, more efficient and better for the environment.

Good afternoon, my name is Laiba and today, I stand here before you to argue why we must make transport more affordable, more efficient and more suitable for the environment – for the local residents, the town, the society.

Firstly, let us think about the cost. How much do you think it costed you to drive to this conference today? Owning a car is not just about filling it up with petrol every now and again; it is also about the insurance, repairs and especially the MOTs – I mean, “was that not paid just last year?” These costs are prohibitive for many members of our town. By normalising the use of public transport, it is estimated by the UN Climate Change Report on ‘Cars and the Climate’ that one can save up to £1450 (that’s the minimum) every year. Would you not want to save a thousand pounds? Making the trams, buses and trains more affordable means an accessible alternative is available for all – whether that is for students, parents, employees and even retirees! Reducing the costs of fares by just 10% can encourage individuals to reduce congestion on our roads. As well as saving money, did you know that you can travel x1.5 times faster with the tram?

Secondly, let us discuss efficiency. I am sure that you have experienced what a pain being stuck in a car is during a traffic jam when it is pouring down. If you have experienced that, you will most likely agree that cars are anything but efficient. What if I told you that your frustration can be finished fast? I want you to think about this: are the trains affected by the rain? The answer is no. Why? Because these trains are designed to run on tracks that are separate to the road, tracks that have a faster route to approach a place, tracks that have less friction allowing faster travel. With reliable public transport schedules, one can get to that dentist appointment, school exam or work meeting in time (maybe even early!) rather than waiting in the rain wondering if that bus will ever come, or being stuck in traffic wishing you even walked instead. If we ensure our transport is effective in any weather on any day, many residents will leave their cars at home, cutting down on congestion and reducing pollution in our town.

Thirdly, let us consider the environmental impacts. According to the UN Climate Change Report on ‘Cars and Climate’, a bus releases only half as much carbon emission and e-waste in comparison to a car. Now, you might chuckle and think “why bother if the difference is so small?” But imagine if every single resident in our town chose to travel by tram, train or the bus instead of cruising in their cars. The collective impact would be much greater, much stronger, much cleaner. If you take anything away from today’s conference, it should be this: We can always replace our transport system – but we can’t replace our planet – our only home.

What have we really learned today? Our cars may be convenient – but they’re costly in comparison to the cheaper, faster and more environmentally friendly trains, trams and buses. As a town, we must band together to make our town more sustainable, especially for the younger generations. I urge the council to not consider improving public transport – but prioritising it. Please invest in the trams. Trains. Buses. Make them accessible. Cheaper. Faster. Replace our public system for the better – because we don’t have a Planet B.

Thank you.

(edited 9 months ago)

Reply 1

leisurely-expert

I genuinely think that this was my GCSE question from 2023 (I'm literally about to do my A-Levels. Why has time gone so quickly 😭)

Honestly that genuinely looks amazing. I love how you're asking your audience questions and making them think about the topic. The stats are also great and you've come up with 3 different arguments to prove your point. Overall I think it's great.

However, if you want constructive feedback, check the markscheme and what a model answer looks like and compare that with your answer. That way you can see what sort of things you'd include if you did this question again or things which you realise you may not need.

Hope that helps.

Reply 2

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Original post

by leisurely-expert

I genuinely think that this was my GCSE question from 2023 (I'm literally about to do my A-Levels. Why has time gone so quickly 😭)
Honestly that genuinely looks amazing. I love how you're asking your audience questions and making them think about the topic. The stats are also great and you've come up with 3 different arguments to prove your point. Overall I think it's great.
However, if you want constructive feedback, check the markscheme and what a model answer looks like and compare that with your answer. That way you can see what sort of things you'd include if you did this question again or things which you realise you may not need.
Hope that helps.