The parking fees in the center of Beijing officially went up on April 1, with the highest charge 15 yuan per hour. Due to the high prices, many private car drivers look for illegal parking spaces to save money, while some parking lots are left empty. Is this going to cause more problems for the city's traffic?

People need time to adapt to new changes. If parking fees suddenly go from 2 yuan to 10 yuan, or even more, I guess most people will get scared and won't park the same places they used to.

I think the situation will gradually ease off as more people get used to the charges. It's like the first two months after the authorities raised the taxi fares several years ago. Almost nobody wanted to take a taxi back then.

Regarding the influence it will have on cab drivers, I've found more people are taking taxis since the parking policy came into force.

I can't say yet what percentage, but more car drivers will surely turn to taxis in the future, as well as buses and subways (although they won't be as comfortable as those in the taxis).

What do you think about recent reports that two hutong in Xicheng district - Fentiao Liulijie and Panjia Hutong - will soon be demolished? These alleys contain more than 30 clan association houses, some of which dated back to 100 years, such as the home of politician and thinker Liang Qichao.

I read this in a newspaper several days ago. Every time I hear of such news I feel really mad. Will this city still be Beijing when everything old is removed?

Now people look at the demolition of the old Beijing city wall 50 years ago and sigh with regret. Won't they regret years later when they take their children to see Beijing hutong only to find only two left as relics? Will it still have any meaning then?

Many Beijingers' homes have been demolished, with families resettled in suburbs like Miyun and Shunyi counties. When I sometimes ask for directions in the city center, eight out of 10 people I talk to are from other provinces. This really chills people's hearts.

Want the inside track from METRO's talkative taxi driver? E-mail your questions to metrobeijing@chinadaily.com.cn.

(China Daily 04/07/2011)