In many
countries small shops and town centers are going out of business, because
people tend to drive to the large out-of-town stores. This results in an
increase in car use, and it also means that people without cars have limited
access to out-of-town stores. Do you think advantages of such development
outweigh its disadvantages?
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| IELTS Essay - Out Of city Superstores Boon or bane |
Advent of large super markets on the outer
fringes of cities has meant ceasing of business for town centers and small
shops in the cities. This, as per some, is a promising prospect that would help
drive in several benefits, for others, there could not have been a worse
proposal.
Opening up of big departmental stores on the
outskirts of urban areas has helped decongest cities, especially the interiors;
thus making lives easier for city dwellers. No more do the centers and business districts face
ugly scenarios of public spaces being encroached by parked vehicles which
shrunk the pedestrian zones: making it harder for people to move around.
However, as many suggest, this trend has
brought in more drawbacks than benefits, most prominent being a staggering rise
in air pollution. While in cities, people could afford to travel even by public
transport, using personal conveyance has become a compulsion in this case. As
the number of cars plying on the roads rise, there have been reports of a
substantial increment in emissions in the suburbs, exurbs, and close vicinities
of such stores.
Moreover, this new arrangement has left many
sulking, those without personal conveyance, are unable to obtain goods of their
choice, and must stay satisfied with whatever nearby shops afford them. Besides this, experience of even those,
with cars, has not been too encouraging either. Shopping in distant locations has led to upsetting of
monthly budgets: consumers must plan and buy in excess, as travelling to
outskirts cannot be an everyday affair.
In a nutshell, I would not say that
establishing super markets in outlying areas of urban locations is altogether
laden with drawbacks; however, one can hardly
ignore pitfalls this change has brought along. I believe town planning
needs to be more prudent.
