Drivers want brake on congestion tax in S China

By Zhan Lisheng (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-07-31 09:57

GUANGZHOU: A plan to introduce a congestion tax for motorists in downtown Guangzhou has been branded "unfair" and "unreasonable".

"I really doubt whether it is feasible for Guangzhou to levy such a fee," Feng Weibing, an associate professor with Guangzhou-based South China Normal University, told China Daily yesterday.

"The idea of charging the tax would only work if there was an excellent public transportation system and infrastructure available," he said. "When a certain area is set up as a highly taxed area, the neighboring areas will definitely have to shoulder much greater pressure."

Feng said many motorists would simply drive part of the way into the city and then park their cars and use transit for the rest of the journey, piling new pressures on suburban neighborhoods.

"And even if it works, citizens may still prefer to pay the charge when driving conditions in the cordoned off areas are so excellent," he said. "That may clog up the roads again."

Feng suggested that the city government of Guangzhou instead work on improving the road network and availability of parking lots.

Kang Haihong, a local car owner, said the idea of a congestion charge was simply "unfair" and "unreasonable".

"I pay the numerous administrative charges and taxes in time; I have good reasons for using the public roads," Kang said. "The congestion charge means an extra burden."

Kang said the government was obliged to improve driving conditions, rather than limiting access.

Fourteen out of the 15 drivers polled by China Daily yesterday opposed the idea of a congestion charge.

According to a report in yesterday's Legal Daily, the city government of Guangzhou will announce the congestion charge soon as part of its efforts to cut traffic volume.

Modeled on Singapore, Guangzhou aims to cordon off the downtown area and charge drivers a fee for entering the zone.

The program has been evaluated by experts nationwide and is awaiting approval from the municipal government of Guangzhou, the newspaper said.

Guangzhou is the first city in China to consider initiating such a program.

Officials with the city urban traffic project office of Guangzhou, which is responsible for the drafting of the program, refused to elaborate or make comments yesterday.