Shanghai authorities move to relieve traffic congestion

Small passenger vehicles with license plates registered outside of Shanghai will be forbidden to enter the region within Shanghai's inner ring roads during rush hours starting from May 6.

The measure, announced at a municipal press briefing on Sunday, is part of the city's latest efforts to further alleviate traffic congestion in downtown areas.

Such vehicles will be banned from entering the downtown areas from 7 am to 9 am and 5 pm to 7 pm. The ban does not apply to weekends and public holidays.

"Special vehicles, such as ambulances and police cars, are exempted from the ban. Residents who violate the rules due to special circumstances, such as an emergency trip to the hospital, should provide relevant evidence to the traffic authority later," said Yin Jiangang, deputy head of Shanghai's traffic police.

Liu Bin, deputy director of the Shanghai Municipal Transport Commission, said that the number of newly registered small passenger vehicles in Shanghai has been rising by around 300,000 each year over the past five years, thus increasing traffic congestion.

Prioritizing public transport has been the city's main strategy in traffic development, Liu said. Metro trains at some major lines arrive in intervals of less than two minutes, and residents can also find a bus stop within 300 meters when in region inside the inner ring roads, he said.

"Full-load rate of the buses on the busiest routes during peak hours is 60 percent, meaning that individuals have a more comfortable environment on the public transport," Liu said.